Illumination Effect on Bipolar Switching Properties of Gd:SiO2 RRAM Devices Using Transparent Indium Tin Oxide Electrode.

Simon M Sze,Shu-Ping Liang,Yong-En Syu,Kuan-Chang Chang,Tsung-Ming Tsai,Kai-Huang Chen,Ting-Chang Chang,Tai-Fa Young

doi:10.1186/s11671-016-1431-8

Abstract

To discuss the optoelectronic effect on resistive random access memory (RRAM) devices, the bipolar switching properties and electron-hole pair generation behavior in the transparent indium tin oxide (ITO) electrode of Gd:SiO2 thin films under the ultraviolet (λ = 400 nm) and red-light (λ = 770 nm) illumination for high resistance state (HRS)/low resistance state (LRS) was observed and investigated. In dark environment, the Gd:SiO2 RRAM devices exhibited the ohmic conduction mechanism for LRS, exhibited the Schottky emission conduction and Poole-Frankel conduction mechanism for HRS. For light illumination effect, the operation current of the Gd:SiO2 RRAM devices for HRS/LRS was slightly increased. Finally, the electron-hole pair transport mechanism, switching conduction diagram, and energy band of the RRAM devices will be clearly demonstrated and explained.

Highlights

Magnetic random access memory (MRAM), ferroelectric random access memory (FeRAM), and phrase change memory (PCM) devices are indispensable to various nonvolatile electronic applications in portable electron devices [1–4]
For inverted bipolar switching resistive behaviors, the transmission electron in metallic filament path early captured by the lots of oxygen vacancy in indium tin oxide (ITO) top electrode of Gd:SiO2 resistive random access memory (RRAM) devices was proved and investigated in Fig. 1(a) [12]
To investigate the optoelectronic effect on the ITO electrode of Gd:SiOx RRAM devices, the bipolar switching properties measured by ultraviolet-light (λ = 400 nm) and red-light (λ = 770 nm) illumination environment was shown in Figs. 2 and 3

Summary

Introduction

Magnetic random access memory (MRAM), ferroelectric random access memory (FeRAM), and phrase change memory (PCM) devices are indispensable to various nonvolatile electronic applications in portable electron devices [1–4]. Because of the excellent compatibility integrated circuit (IC) processes, long retention cycles, low operation voltage, and low electric consumption, the various resistive random access memory (RRAM) devices are investigated and discussed in recent memory device search [5–10]. Among these RRAM device applications, the different metal element-doped silicon dioxide thin films prepared by various physical vapor disposition methods are widely considered and fabricated [1–10]. The bipolar resistance switching and initial metallic filament forming properties of the various structure RRAM devices using indium tin oxide (ITO) electrode for the high resistance state (HRS) and low resistance state (LRS) are investigated for experimental.

Methods

Results

Conclusion