Unipolar Resistive Switching Properties of Diamondlike Carbon-Based RRAM Devices

• Published in: IEEE electron device letters Vol. 32; no. 6; pp. 803 - 805
• Main Authors: Fu, Di, Xie, Dan, Feng, Tingting, Zhang, Chenhui, Niu, Jiebin, Qian, He, Liu, Litian
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY IEEE 01.06.2011; Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers; The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE)
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Carbon; Design. Technologies. Operation analysis. Testing; Devices; Diamond-like carbon films; Diamondlike carbon (DLC); Diamonds; Electronics; Exact sciences and technology; Integrated circuits; Integrated circuits by function (including memories and processors); Materials; Nanocomposites; Nanomaterials; Nanoscale devices; Nanostructure; Nonvolatile memory; Recording and replay of audio and video signals; Resistance; resistance random access memory (RRAM); Resistors; Semiconductor electronics. Microelectronics. Optoelectronics. Solid state devices; Storage and reproduction of information; Switches; Switching; unipolar resistive switching; Voltage; Performance evaluation; Electric breakdown; Nondestructive readout; High density; Random access memory; Rupture; Temperature effect; Carbon; Switching; Low voltage; Nanometer scale; Non volatile memory; Integrated circuit; Electrical conductivity transitions; Electric power consumption; resistance random access memory (RRAM); Diamondlike carbon (DLC); Low-power electronics; Reliability; unipolar resistive switching
• ISSN: 0741-3106; 1558-0563
• DOI: 10.1109/LED.2011.2132750

Resistance random access memory devices based on nanoscale diamondlike carbon (DLC) films are demonstrated. The devices exhibit excellent memory performances such as high on/off-resistance ratio (>; 300), high switching speed ( <; 50 ns), low operation voltage ( <; 1.2 V), low switching power consumption ( <; 16 μW), nondestructive readout, and good reliability. Nanoscale graphitic filament formation and rupture alternately through the field-induced dielectric breakdown and thermal fuse effect, respectively, are proposed to be responsible for the resistance switching. The unipolar switching characteristics shown here suggest that DLC is one of the most promising material candidates for high-density and low-power nonvolatile memory applications.