Forming-free Resistance Random Access Memory Using Ta2O5/TaOx Bi-layer Prepared by Magnetron Sputtering Method

Abstract

ABSTRACTThis paper describes proposal of ReRAM switching mechanism, development of production tool for ReRAM sputtering and improvement in TaOx-ReRAM switching characteristics. We propose that a ReRAM-cell has stack a structure in which an oxygen vacancy supply layer (TaOx) and an oxygen accumulation layer (Ta2O5) sandwiched by the top and bottom electrodes. Resistance change of the ReRAM-cell is caused by the oxygen vacancies migrating between the TaOx and the Ta2O5 layers by applied voltage. This prediction corresponded to the experimental facts. The thickness of Ta2O5 film sputtered by a mass production tool had good uniformity (±1.0%) and excellent stability (±1.0%). Also the sheet resistance uniformity (1σ) of TaOx film had 3.6%. By examining the sputtering conditions, the ReRAM-cell having a Ta2O5/TaOx bi-layer operated in less than 100μA with a forming-free and had excellent endurance property to 1010 cycles at 50nsec.