The susceptibility of TaO_x-based memristors to high dose rate ionizing radiation and total ionizing dose

Journal Article · Tue Nov 11 00:00:00 EST 2014 · IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1109/TNS.2014.2364521· OSTI ID:1184584

McLain, Michael Lee ^[1]; Sheridan, Timothy J. ^[1]; Hjalmarson, Harold Paul ^[1]; Mickel, Patrick R. ^[1]; Hanson, Donald J. ^[1]; McDonald, Joseph K. ^[1]; Hughart, David Russell ^[1]; Marinella, Matthew J. ^[1]

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1. Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)

This paper investigates the effects of high dose rate ionizing radiation and total ionizing dose (TID) on tantalum oxide (TaO_x) memristors. Transient data were obtained during the pulsed exposures for dose rates ranging from approximately 5.0 ×10⁷ rad(Si)/s to 4.7 ×10⁸ rad(Si)/s and for pulse widths ranging from 50 ns to 50 μs. The cumulative dose in these tests did not appear to impact the observed dose rate response. Static dose rate upset tests were also performed at a dose rate of ~3.0 ×10⁸ rad(Si)/s. This is the first dose rate study on any type of memristive memory technology. In addition to assessing the tolerance of TaO_x memristors to high dose rate ionizing radiation, we also evaluated their susceptibility to TID. The data indicate that it is possible for the devices to switch from a high resistance off-state to a low resistance on-state in both dose rate and TID environments. The observed radiation-induced switching is dependent on the irradiation conditions and bias configuration. Furthermore, the dose rate or ionizing dose level at which a device switches resistance states varies from device to device; the enhanced susceptibility observed in some devices is still under investigation. As a result, numerical simulations are used to qualitatively capture the observed transient radiation response and provide insight into the physics of the induced current/voltages.

• Research Organization: Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)
• Grant/Contract Number: AC04-94AL85000
• OSTI ID: 1184584
• Report Number(s): SAND-2014-19396J; 540951
• Journal Information: IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science, Vol. 61, Issue 6; ISSN 0018-9499
• Publisher: Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS
dose rate
memristors
tantalum oxide (TaOx)
pulsed ionizing radiation
total ionizing dose (TID)
transient radiation effects