Low-temperature characteristics of resistive switching memory devices based on reduced graphene oxide-phosphor composites toward reliable cryogenic electronic devices

Abstract

Low-temperature electronic devices are indispensable for quantum computing and space exploration applications. However, developing memory devices that are an integral part of the control circuits of low-temperature electronic devices is highly challenging. The electrical conductivity of semiconducting materials drops at low temperatures, leading to large variations in SET/RESET voltages. A strategy for the efficient operation of nonvolatile memory devices at low temperatures should be developed. This study investigated the low-temperature resistive switching characteristics of reduced graphene oxide-phosphor composites (GPs). At cryogenic temperatures, the fabricated ITO/GP/Si3N4/p++Si device exhibited a reliable and reproducible bipolar resistive switching performance. The SET/RESET voltages of the devices remained almost constant at all temperatures ranging from 77 to 300 K. The performance of the devices was further investigated by illuminating the devices with blue laser light. The SET/RESET voltages were considerably reduced through light illumination, which is correlated to the lowering of the barrier height at the Si3N4/p++Si interface and enhanced photoconductivity in the GP film. Our studies suggest that light illumination can be a promising tool for investigating issues in ReRAM devices and improving device performance in dark conditions.