We present a quantum mechanical memristive Nb/Al/Al2O3/NbxOy/Au device which consists of an ultra-thin memristive layer (NbxOy) sandwiched between an Al2O3 tunnel barrier and a Schottky-like contact. A highly uniform current distribution for the LRS (low resistance state) and HRS (high resistance state) for areas ranging between 70 μm2 and 2300 μm2 were obtained, which indicates a non-filamentary based resistive switching mechanism. In a detailed experimental and theoretical analysis we show evidence that resistive switching originates from oxygen diffusion and modifications of the local electronic interface states within the NbxOy layer, which influences the interface properties of the Au (Schottky) contact and of the Al2O3 tunneling barrier, respectively. The presented device might offer several benefits like an intrinsic current compliance, improved retention and no need for an electric forming procedure, which is especially attractive for possible applications in highly dense random access memories or neuromorphic mixed signal circuits.
Neuromorphic plasticity is the basic platform for learning in biological systems and is considered as the unique concept in the brains of vertebrates, which outperform today's most powerful digital computers when it comes to cognitive and recognition tasks. An emerging task in the field of neuromorphic engineering is to mimic neural pathways via elegant technological approaches to close the gap between biological and digital computing. In this respect, functional, memristive devices are considered promising candidates with yet unknown benefit for neuromorphic circuits. It is demonstrated that a single Pt/Ge0.3Se0.7/SiO2/Cu memristive device implemented in an analogue circuitry mimics non‐associative and associative types of learning. For Pavlovian conditioning, different threshold voltages for the memristive device and the comparator are essential. Similarities to neurobiological correlates of learning are discussed in the framework of hebbian learning rule, plasticity, and long‐term potentiation.
Among recently discovered ferroelectricity-related phenomena, the tunnelling electroresistance (TER) effect in ferroelectric tunnel junctions (FTJs) has been attracting rapidly increasing attention owing to the emerging possibilities of non-volatile memory, logic and neuromorphic computing applications of these quantum nanostructures. Despite recent advances in experimental and theoretical studies of FTJs, many questions concerning their electrical behaviour still remain open. In particular, the role of ferroelectric/electrode interfaces and the separation of the ferroelectric-driven TER effect from electrochemical ('redox'-based) resistance-switching effects have to be clarified. Here we report the results of a comprehensive study of epitaxial junctions comprising BaTiO 3 barrier, La 0.7 Sr 0.3 MnO 3 bottom electrode and Au or Cu top electrodes. Our results demonstrate a giant electrode effect on the TER of these asymmetric FTJs. The revealed phenomena are attributed to the microscopic interfacial effect of ferroelectric origin, which is supported by the observation of redox-based resistance switching at much higher voltages.
The ultimate sensitivity of any solid state device is limited by fluctuations. Fluctuations are manifestations of the thermal motion of matter and the discreteness of its structure which are also inherent ingredients during the resistive switching process of resistance random access memory (RRAM) devices. In quest for the role of fluctuations in different memory states and to develop resistive switching based nonvolatile memory devices, here we present our study on random telegraph noise (RTN) resistance fluctuations in Cu doped Ge0.3Se0.7 based RRAM cells. The influence of temperature and electric field on the RTN fluctuations is studied on different resistance states of the memory cells to reveal the dynamics of the underlying fluctuators. Our analysis indicates that the observed fluctuations could arise from thermally activated transpositions of Cu ions inside ionic or redox “double-site traps” triggering fluctuations in the current transport through a filamentary conducting path. Giant RTN fluctuations characterized by relative resistance variations of up to 50% in almost macroscopic samples clearly point to the existence of weak links with small effective cross-sectional areas along the conducting paths. Such large resistance fluctuations can be an important issue for the industrial applications of RRAM devices because they might lead to huge bit-error rates during reading cycles.
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