Charge Transition of Oxygen Vacancies during Resistive Switching in Oxide-Based RRAM

Lee, Jihang; Schell, William; Zhu, Xiaojian; Kioupakis, Emmanouil; Lu, Wei D.

doi:10.1021/acsami.8b18386

Title: Charge Transition of Oxygen Vacancies during Resistive Switching in Oxide-Based RRAM

Journal Article · Thu Feb 28 00:00:00 EST 2019 · ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/acsami.8b18386· OSTI ID:1529978

Lee, Jihang ^[1]; Schell, William ^[2]; Zhu, Xiaojian ^[2];

^[3];

^[2]

Univ. of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI (United States). Dept. of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, and Dept. of Materials Science and Engineering
Univ. of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI (United States). Dept. of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
Univ. of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI (United States). Dept. of Materials Science and Engineering

Resistive random-access memory (RRAM) devices have attracted broad interest as promising building blocks for high-density nonvolatile memory and neuromorphic computing applications. Atomic level thermodynamic and kinetic descriptions of resistive switching (RS) processes are essential for continued device design and optimization but are relatively lacking for oxide-based RRAMs. It is generally accepted that RS occurs due to the redistribution of charged oxygen vacancies driven by an external electric field. However, this assumption contradicts the experimentally observed stable filaments, where the high vacancy concentration should lead to a strong Coulomb repulsion and filament instability. In this work, through predictive atomistic calculations in combination with experimental measurements, we attempt to understand the interactions between oxygen vacancies and the microscopic processes that are required for stable RS in a Ta₂O₅-based RRAM. We propose a model based on a series of charge transition processes that explains the drift and aggregation of vacancies during RS. The model was validated by experimental measurements where illuminated devices exhibit accelerated RS behaviors during SET and RESET. The activation energies of ion migration and charge transition were further experimentally determined through a transient current measurement, consistent with the modeling results. Finally, our results help provide comprehensive understanding on the internal dynamics of RS and will benefit device optimization and applications.

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Research Organization:: Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States). National Energy Research Scientific Computing Center (NERSC)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE; National Science Foundation (NSF)

Grant/Contract Number:: AC02-05CH11231

OSTI ID:: 1529978

Journal Information:: ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces, Vol. 11, Issue 12; ISSN 1944-8244

Publisher:: American Chemical Society (ACS)Copyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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Cited by: 55 works

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37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
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Title: Charge Transition of Oxygen Vacancies during Resistive Switching in Oxide-Based RRAM

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