Activation Energy and Bipolar Switching Properties for the Co-Sputtering of ITOX:SiO2 Thin Films on Resistive Random Access Memory Devices

Kai-Huang Chen; Chien-Min Cheng; Na-Fu Wang; Ming-Cheng Kao

doi:10.3390/nano13152179

Activation Energy and Bipolar Switching Properties for the Co-Sputtering of ITO_X:SiO₂ Thin Films on Resistive Random Access Memory Devices

Nanomaterials (Basel). 2023 Jul 26;13(15):2179. doi: 10.3390/nano13152179.

Authors

Kai-Huang Chen¹, Chien-Min Cheng², Na-Fu Wang¹, Ming-Cheng Kao³

Affiliations

¹ Department of Electronic Engineering, Center for Environmental Toxin and Emerging-Contaminant Research, Super Micro Mass Research & Technology Center, Cheng Shiu University, Chengcing Rd., Niaosong District, Kaohsiung 83347, Taiwan.
² Department of Electronic Engineering, Southern Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Tainan 710301, Taiwan.
³ Department of Information and Communication Engineering, Chaoyang University of Technology, Taichung 413310, Taiwan.

Abstract

Activation energy, bipolar resistance switching behavior, and the electrical conduction transport properties of ITO_X:SiO₂ thin film resistive random access memory (RRAM) devices were observed and discussed. The ITO_X:SiO₂ thin films were prepared using a co-sputtering deposition method on the TiN/Si substrate. For the RRAM device structure fabrication, an Al/ITO_X:SiO₂/TiN/Si structure was prepared by using aluminum for the top electrode and a TiN material for the bottom electrode. In addition, grain growth, defect reduction, and RRAM device performance of the ITO_X:SiO₂ thin film for the various oxygen gas flow conditions were observed and described. Based on the I-V curve measurements of the RRAM devices, the turn on-off ratio and the bipolar resistance switching properties of the Al/ITO_X:SiO₂/TiN/Si RRAM devices in the set and reset states were also obtained. At low operating voltages and high resistance values, the conductance mechanism exhibits hopping conduction mechanisms for set states. Moreover, at high operating voltages, the conductance mechanism behaves as an ohmic conduction current mechanism. Finally, the Al/ITO_X:SiO₂/TiN/Si RRAM devices demonstrated memory window properties, bipolar resistance switching behavior, and nonvolatile characteristics for next-generation nonvolatile memory applications.

Keywords: ITOX:SiO2; activation energy; bipolar resistance switching; electrical conduction mechanisms; resistive random access memory.

Grants and funding

This work was performed at the National Science Council Core Facilities Laboratory for Nano-Science and Nano-Technology in the Kaohsiung-Pingtung area and was supported by the National Science Council of the Republic of China under Contract No. NSC MOST 110-2637-E-218-008.