Improved switching uniformity of a carbon-based conductive-bridge type ReRAM by controlling the size of conducting filament

• Published in: Microelectronic engineering Vol. 88; no. 6; pp. 935 - 938
• Main Authors: Park, Jubong, Jo, Minseok, Lee, Joonmyoung, Jung, Seungjae, Lee, Wootae, Kim, Seonghyun, Park, Sangsu, Shin, Jungho, Hwang, Hyunsang
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 01-06-2011; Elsevier
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Carbon; Conduction; Design. Technologies. Operation analysis. Testing; Devices; Electric potential; Electronic equipment and fabrication. Passive components, printed wiring boards, connectics; Electronics; Exact sciences and technology; Filaments; Fluctuation; Fractures; Integrated circuits; Integrated circuits by function (including memories and processors); Mechanical properties and methods of testing. Rheology. Fracture mechanics. Tribology; Metals. Metallurgy; ReRAM; Resistive memory; Resistors; RRAM; Semiconductor electronics. Microelectronics. Optoelectronics. Solid state devices; Switching; Uniformity; Variability; Voltage; Resistive memory; ReRAM; RRAM; Carbon; Uniformity; Amorphous material; Fluctuations; Random access memory; Voltage fall; Retention factor; Switching; Thread; Current limiter; Monitor; Non volatile memory; Integrated circuit; Electrical conductivity transitions; Resistor; Damaging
• ISSN: 0167-9317; 1873-5568
• DOI: 10.1016/j.mee.2010.12.025

We investigated the resistive switching properties of a amorphous carbon-based ReRAM device. In order to minimize the fluctuations of switching parameters, we introduced an external load resistor (
R
Load) in series, which indirectly acts as a current limiter. Reduced reset current (
I
reset) and improved switching uniformity were obtained when the proper external
R
Load was connected. The voltage drop at the ReRAM device during switching was directly monitored using an oscilloscope. We have confirmed that fluctuation of the effective voltage applied across the conducting filament was dramatically reduced by adding
R
Load. In contrast, we observed degradation of retention characteristic of sample with
R
Load. To meet both switching uniformity and retention characteristics, we need to optimize the resistance of low resistance state.