Next-generation ferroelectric domain-wall memories: principle and architecture

• Published in: NPG Asia materials Vol. 11; no. 1
• Main Authors: Jiang, An Quan, Zhang, Yan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 23.01.2019; Nature Publishing Group
• Subjects: 142/126; 639/925/357/995; 639/925/927/1007; Analog data; Biomaterials; Chemistry and Materials Science; Computer memory; Crosstalk; Data processing; Domain walls; Energy Systems; Ferroelectric domains; Ferroelectric materials; Ferroelectricity; Materials Science; Neural networks; Optical and Electronic Materials; Perspective; Structural Materials; Surface and Interface Science; Thin Films; Transistors
• ISSN: 1884-4049; 1884-4057
• DOI: 10.1038/s41427-018-0102-x

The downscaling of commercial one-transistor–one capacitor ferroelectric memory cells is limited by the available signal window for the use of a charge integration readout technique. However, the erasable conducting charged walls that occur in insulating ferroelectrics can be used to read the bipolar domain states. Both out-of-plane and in-plane cell configurations are compared for the next sub-10-nm integration of ferroelectric domain wall memories with high reliability. It is highlighted that a nonvolatile read strategy of domain information within mesa-like cells under the application of a strong in-plane read field can enable a massive crossbar connection to reduce mobile charge accumulation at the walls and crosstalk currents from neighboring cells. The memory has extended application in analog data processing and neural networks. In-plane domain wall memory. Cross-bar architecture of three-terminal mesa-like cells with written bipolar domain information (thick arrows) using L and R electrodes, which can be read out at a sufficiently high voltage applied between M and R accompanied by erasure/creation of conductive domain walls (red dotted line).