Resistive switching memories based on metal oxides: mechanisms, reliability and scaling

• Published in: Semiconductor science and technology Vol. 31; no. 6; pp. 63002 - 63026
• Main Author: Ielmini, Daniele
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: IOP Publishing 16.05.2016
• Subjects: conductive bridge memory (CBRAM); crossbar array; emerging memory; memory scaling; memristor; metal-insulator transition; resistance switching memory (RRAM)
• ISSN: 0268-1242; 1361-6641
• DOI: 10.1088/0268-1242/31/6/063002

With the explosive growth of digital data in the era of the Internet of Things (IoT), fast and scalable memory technologies are being researched for data storage and data-driven computation. Among the emerging memories, resistive switching memory (RRAM) raises strong interest due to its high speed, high density as a result of its simple two-terminal structure, and low cost of fabrication. The scaling projection of RRAM, however, requires a detailed understanding of switching mechanisms and there are potential reliability concerns regarding small device sizes. This work provides an overview of the current understanding of bipolar-switching RRAM operation, reliability and scaling. After reviewing the phenomenological and microscopic descriptions of the switching processes, the stability of the low- and high-resistance states will be discussed in terms of conductance fluctuations and evolution in 1D filaments containing only a few atoms. The scaling potential of RRAM will finally be addressed by reviewing the recent breakthroughs in multilevel operation and 3D architecture, making RRAM a strong competitor among future high-density memory solutions.