In this letter, we demonstrated improved resistive switching (RS) characteristics for a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor compatible Ni/Ti/Al2O3/SiO2/Si device structure. The robust SiO2 layer deposited by the additional low-pressure chemical vapor deposition process can improve the RS characteristics such as the endurance cycle, current level, and on/off ratio. Moreover, the multilevel capability is enhanced in the bilayer structure; the larger the reset stop voltage, the greater the on/off ratio demonstrated. Furthermore, for practical RS operation, several resistance states were obtained by adjusting the pulse amplitude. This property is desirable for highly integrated nonvolatile memory applications.

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We fabricated a silicon based nano-wedge resistive switching memory device with the stack of Ti/HfO x /p + -Si. By using 25% tetra-methyl-ammonium hydroxide (TMAH) aqueous solution, the anisotropic wet etching process is carried out to minimize the tip structure of the silicon bottom electrode to a width of 4 nm, and the structure was validated through TEM analysis. Due to the minimized device area, low read current levels (<1 μA) were obtained in the nano-wedge RRAM while the opposites were measured in large size RRAM devices. In addition, the fabricated nano-wedge RRAM exhibited low power consumption during the DC switching process. Additionally, pulse measurement and retention tests were performed to demonstrate the synaptic behaviors of long-term potentiation and depression. Software neural network simulation was followed to test the feasibility of nano-wedge RRAM's array implementation. These results demonstrate the fabricated nano-wedge RRAM devices' potential usage as a synaptic device in neuromorphic computing systems.

Experiments are conducted to compare the resistive switching characteristics for several samples with different amounts of Ag deposition in TiN/Ag/SiN x /TiN conductive bridging random access memory (CBRAM). The compliance current in TiN/Ag/SiN x /TiN CBRAM determines the volatile/non-volatile memory operation as the current level controls the strength of the filament made of Ag. The transient measurement showed that the effective thickness of Ag source layer in the TiN/Ag/SiN x /TiN controls the supply of the Ag atoms into the insulating layer, affecting the strength of the conductive bridge. The mechanism for the switching characteristics and the volatility trend with the amount of Ag deposition is closely investigated using transmission electron microscopy and scanning electron microscopy images. The device shows the conductance potentiation by a voltage pulse train under 1 µA current level, and the higher potentiation rate is observed in the CBRAM with thick Ag source layer.

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Conductive-bridging random access memory (CBRAM) using a cobalt (Co) electrode has recently featured a CMOS-compatible process, excellent data retention, and a sub-μA operating current level, which are difficult to achieve by conventional CBRAM. However, the resistive switching (RS) mechanism of Co CBRAM has not been extensively explored compared to that of the conventional CBRAM cells using Ag, Cu, or Ni as active metal electrodes. Because only implicit inferences based on electrical measurements have been made, the formation of Co filaments is not yet clearly understood. This study presents evidence of Co filament formation in Co/10 nm SiO x /TiN resistive random access memory (RRAM) using direct transmission electron microscopy (TEM) observations. Co protrusions larger than 5 nm are observed, and their exact atomic composition is investigated by spectroscopy. We explain the RS operation of Co/SiO x /TiN cells based on the Co electromigration-mediated filament development process through Co electrode deformation, protrusion, and subsequent Co conductive bridge formation. An asymmetric RS operation and negative temperature correlation of the resistance are found in low resistance state (LRS) cells, which further supports the Co-involved RS operation in Co/SiO x /TiN devices.

A new physical analysis of the filament formation in a Ag conducting-bridge random-access memory (CBRAM) device in consideration of the existence of inter-atomic attractions caused by metal bonding is suggested.