Resistance Drift Phenomenon Research Articles

Amphibious Multifunctional Hydrogel Flexible Haptic Sensor with Self-Compensation Mechanism.

In recent years, hydrogel-based wearable flexible electronic devices have attracted much attention. However, hydrogel-based sensors are affected by structural fatigue, material aging, and water absorption and swelling, making stability and accuracy a major challenge. In this study, we present a DN-SPEZ dual-network hydrogel prepared using polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), sodium alginate (SA), ethylene glycol (EG), and ZnSO4 and propose a self-calibration compensation strategy. The strategy utilizes a metal salt solution to adjust the carrier concentration of the hydrogel to mitigate the resistance drift phenomenon to improve the stability and accuracy of hydrogel sensors in amphibious scenarios, such as land and water. The ExpGrow model was used to characterize the trend of the ∆R/R0 dynamic response curves of the hydrogels in the stress tests, and the average deviation of the fitted curves ϵ¯ was calculated to quantify the stability differences of different groups. The results showed that the stability of the uncompensated group was much lower than that of the compensated group utilizing LiCl, NaCl, KCl, MgCl2, and AlCl3 solutions (ϵ¯ in the uncompensated group in air was 276.158, 1.888, 2.971, 30.586, and 13.561 times higher than that of the compensated group in LiCl, NaCl, KCl, MgCl2, and AlCl3, respectively; ϵ¯ in the uncompensated group in seawater was 10.287 times, 1.008 times, 1.161 times, 4.986 times, 1.281 times, respectively, higher than that of the compensated group in LiCl, NaCl, KCl, MgCl2 and AlCl3). In addition, for the ranking of the compensation effect of different compensation solutions, the concentration of the compensation solution and the ionic radius and charge of the cation were found to be important factors in determining the compensation effect. Detection of events in amphibious environments such as swallowing, robotic arm grasping, Morse code, and finger-wrist bending was also performed in this study. This work provides a viable method for stability and accuracy enhancement of dual-network hydrogel sensors with strain and pressure sensing capabilities and offers solutions for sensor applications in both airborne and underwater amphibious environments.

Resistance Drift-Reduced Multilevel Storage and Neural Network Computing in Chalcogenide Phase Change Memories by Bipolar Operation

Phase change materials, which has been focused on the non-volatile memory field, show the possibility to carry out data storage and computing in the same physical location. However, the resistance drift behavior of phase change memory has been a huge barrier not only to traditional binary memory application for a long time, but to multi-level storage and therefore the neural network computing. Here, a bipolar programming scheme is exploited to achieve drift-reduced intermediate states and convolutional neural network (CNN) computations in Ge <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</sub> Sb <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</sub> Te <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">5</sub> (GST) based memory cells. Experiments show that the resistance drift phenomena under bipolar programming have been reduced. Furthermore, the impact of bipolar operation on CNN for inference is investigated. This work provides effective means for implementing phase change neuromorphic processor with enhanced stability.

Temperature activated conductivity of Ge2Sb2Te5: connection to the variation of Fermi level and implications on resistance drift

The non-Arrhenius behaviour of Ge2Sb2Te5 conductivity is attributed to the non-linear temperature dependence of the Fermi level, assuming extended state conduction by free holes. The temperature-dependent Fermi level is shown to alter values of activation energy and prefactor for conductivity so that their exact determination becomes impossible using the conductivity data alone. However, if one assumes the temperature dependence of the Fermi level to be a parabolic function. Then, two of three model parameters can be retrieved; to obtain the third parameter one has to make an assumption about the value of prefactor for conductivity. Applying the proposed analysis scheme to Ge2Sb2Te5, reasonable values of Fermi level position are obtained and the change of Fermi level as a result of resistance drift phenomenon is demonstrated.

Pattern-Aware Encoding for MLC PCM Storage Density, Energy Efficiency, and Performance Enhancement

With the scaling limitations and increasing leakage power of the existing charge-based memories, next-generation memory technologies to overcome the issues are in development. Among the various emerging memories, phase change memory (PCM) is considered as a promising candidate due to its scalability potential and negligible leakage power. For enhanced storage density, the multilevel cell (MLC) operation has been proposed for PCM. This, however, comes at cost of poor reliability, write energy increase and performance degradation. Unlike DRAM, the MLC PCM has a much higher soft error rate due to the resistance drift phenomenon. Error correction code (ECC) schemes can be utilized to improve the MLC PCM reliability, however, this would lead to a lower storage density and an increase in write energy and latency. The iterative programming required for the MLC PCM also degrades its energy efficiency and performance. This paper introduces a simple yet effective encoding scheme to mitigate the problems of the MLC PCM. By using a simple XOR-based encoding, the proposed architecture minimizes the most drift-prone state in the data. The method divides the original data into several encoding blocks and analyzes initial pattern frequencies for each 2-bit pattern. Based on the initial pattern frequencies, the inputs for the XOR encoding are selected that result in minimal frequency of the drift-prone state. This considerably enhances the MLC PCM reliability, leading to a high storage density with a reduced ECC overhead. The energy efficiency and performance are also improved due to reduction in iterative current pulses and ECC overhead. The simulation results show a reduction of about $10^{5}$ X in soft error rate. The improvements in energy efficiency and performance over the conventional 4-level cell (4LC) PCM are 11.5% and 31.9%, respectively.

Cost-Effective Reliable MLC PCM Architecture Using Virtual Data Based Error Correction

The existing charge-based memories like DRAM and flash are reaching their scaling limits. Phase change memory (PCM) is one of the most promising emerging memory technologies due to its good scalability and low leakage power. Multi-level cell (MLC) operation in PCM, which stores two or more bits in a single cell, is necessary to achieve a high storage density. However, a reduced resistance range in multiple storage levels of MLC PCM, introduces a lot of soft errors because of the resistance drift phenomenon. The poor reliability of MLC PCM requires strong error correction codes (ECC) which could severely degrade the storage density and performance. In this paper, we propose a cost-effective reliable MLC PCM architecture for improving MLC PCM reliability, storage density and performance. The proposed architecture exploits the data-dependent nature of resistance drift problem to reduce the ECC overhead. A simple state mapping is used to generate virtual data, which is half of the actual data size. ECC parity bits are generated based on virtual data bits instead of actual message bits, thus resulting in a reduced number of cells for parity bits. This improves the reliability and storage density of MLC PCM. The performance is also improved by minimizing the ECC overhead. Simulation results show an improvement of about 10 4 times in reliability and 10.9% in storage density compared to a conventional MLC PCM which uses a typical error correction scheme. Performance and energy efficiency are also improved up to 13.7% and 10%, respectively, by the proposed architecture.

Exploiting Approximate MLC-PCM in Low-Power Embedded Systems

Multi-level cell phase change memory (MLC-PCM), because of its very low leakage power and high density, is promising for embedded systems. Furthermore, for applications with inherent low sensitivity to errors, approximate write operations can be exploited in MLC-PCM to improve endurance and performance. However, data that reside in the approximate MLC-PCM for a rather long time without refreshing are prone to soft errors due to resistance drift phenomenon, while even for an application with inherent low sensitivity to errors, a high soft error rate can degrade its Quality of Result (QoR). The architecture-level approaches to decrease the drift effect incur considerable power overhead (about 100%), which is a prominent issue in embedded systems, and are dependent on the number of logic levels stored in the PCM cell (e.g., most of them are designed for 4LC-PCM). This article, taking a different approach, proposes a drift-aware frequency and voltage management to alleviate the drift-based soft-error rate. To this end, first we characterize the application data based on the degree of being exposed to the drift to identify the drift-prone application data. Then we assign the execution frequency and voltage to different regions of the application considering the drift. This frequency assignment speeds up the application regions wherein the drift-prone data are accessed to shorten the lifetime of the drift-prone data, thereby decreasing the soft error rate. An integer linear programming model implements our proposed Dynamic Voltage Frequency Scaling (DVFS). Also, the proposed approach is independent of the number of levels of PCM cells and can be applied to any MLC-PCM system. To evaluate the approach, the approximate MLC-PCM is simulated using empirical models and is integrated into a full-system simulator as data memory. The experimental results show that, by exploiting the approach, QoR is in the acceptable range, while its power overhead is about 84% (on average) less than that of the architecture-level approach.

Structural change with the resistance drift phenomenon in amorphous GeTe phase change materials’ thin films

Ageing of the amorphous phase of chalcogenide phase change materials is characterized by a large increase of their resistivity with time. This phenomenon, known as resistance drift and commonly attributed to structural relaxation, the nature of which remains unknown, has until now hindered the development of ultra-high multilevel storage devices. The origin of the resistance drift of amorphous GeTe thin films is studied here by resistivity measurements and grazing incidence x-ray absorption spectroscopy (GIXAS). The local order around Ge atoms is investigated at the Ge K-edge on a-GeTe samples previously set at different resistance drift levels by thermal annealing. In all samples, Ge–Ge and Ge–Te bonds coexist. This study demonstrates that the drift phenomenon is concomitant with structural changes linked to Ge–Ge homopolar bonds.

A Model for Multilevel Phase-Change Memories Incorporating Resistance Drift Effects

Phase change memories are emerging as a most promising technology for future nonvolatile, solid-state, electrical storage. However, to compete effectively in mainstream storage applications, a multilevel cell capability is most desirable. Unfortunately, phase-change memories exhibit a temporal drift in programmed resistance (and in threshold switching voltage) which appears to be a fundamental and universal property of the amorphous or partially amorphous phase. Phase-change device models should therefore include these drift effects in a realistic way so that circuit and systems designers can assess the likely performance of multilevel phase-change memories in a variety of potential applications. In this paper, therefore, we present a comprehensive SPICE-based model for phase-change devices that includes the capability for programming into multiple resistance levels, the prediction of the drift of cell resistance (and threshold voltage) with time, and the capability for modeling the randomness inherent to the resistance drift phenomenon. Simulations of multilevel programming and drift phenomena using the model are presented and compared to experimental results, with which there is very good agreement.

Role of an encapsulating layer for reducing resistance drift in phase change random access memory

Phase change random access memory (PCRAM) devices exhibit a steady increase in resistance in the amorphous phase upon aging and this resistance drift phenomenon directly affects the device reliability. A stress relaxation model is used here to study the effect of a device encapsulating layer material in addressing the resistance drift phenomenon in PCRAM. The resistance drift can be increased or decreased depending on the biaxial moduli of the phase change material (YPCM) and the encapsulating layer material (YELM) according to the stress relationship between them in the drift regime. The proposed model suggests that the resistance drift can be effectively reduced by selecting a proper material as an encapsulating layer. Moreover, our model explains that reducing the size of the phase change material (PCM) while fully reset and reducing the amorphous/crystalline ratio in PCM help to improve the resistance drift, and thus opens an avenue for highly reliable multilevel PCRAM applications.

Impact of Maxwell rigidity transitions on resistance drift phenomena in GexTe1−x glasses

Amorphous chalcogenides usually exhibit a resistivity, which increases with age following a power law ρ ∼ tα. Existing theories link this change in amorphous state resistivity to structural relaxation. Here, the impact of fundamental glass properties on resistance drift phenomena in amorphous GexTe1−x networks is studied. Employing Raman spectroscopy, the Maxwell rigidity transition from flexible to stressed rigid is determined to occur in the compositional range 0.250 &amp;lt; xc &amp;lt; 0.265. Stressed rigid glasses (x &amp;gt; 0.265) exhibit rather strong resistance drift, where the drift parameters increase steadily from α = 0.13 for amorphous GeTe to α = 0.29 for compositions near the stiffness threshold xc. On the other hand, the drift parameter in flexible glasses (x &amp;lt; 0.25) decreases with decreasing Ge content x to values as low as α = 0.05. These findings illustrate the strong impact of the stiffness threshold on resistance drift phenomena in chalcogenides.

Field-accelerated structural relaxation in the amorphous state of phase change memory

This work shows the experimental evidence of the acceleration of the resistance drift phenomenon over time by means of a constant bias applied to a phase change memory cell programmed in the amorphous state. The experimental findings, highlighting the role of electric field in the drift phenomenon, are supported by a bias-controlled kinetic model describing the amorphous network in terms of many two-level systems evolving over time to lower its own total system energy.

Defects in amorphous phase-change materials

Abstract

Stoichiometry dependence of resistance drift phenomena in amorphous GeSnTe phase-change alloys

In phase-change materials, the amorphous state resistivity increases with time following a power law ρ ∝ (t/t0)αRD. This drift in resistivity seriously hampers the potential of multilevel-storage to achieve an increased capacity in phase-change memories. This paper presents the stoichiometric dependence of drift phenomena in amorphous GeSnTe systems (a-GeSnTe) and other known phase-change alloys with the objective to identify low drift materials. The substitution of Ge by Sn results in a systematic decrease of the drift parameter from a-GeTe (αRD = 0.129) to a-Ge2Sn2Te4 (αRD = 0.053). Furthermore, with increasing Sn content a decrease in crystallization temperature, trap state density, optical band gap, and activation energy for electronic conduction is observed. In a-GeSnTe, a-GeSbTe, and a-AgInSbTe alloys as well, the drift parameter αRD correlates to the activation energy for electronic conduction. This study indicates that low drift materials are characterized by low activation energies of electronic conduction. The correlation found between drift and activation energy of electronic conduction manifests a useful criterion for material optimization.

Some results on the germanium telluride density of states

Germanium telluride (GeTe) is one of the most studied phase change materials. Surprisingly, only little is known about the distribution of states (DOS) in its band gap. In this paper we investigate both experimentally and theoretically the amorphous GeTe DOS and we propose a model for this DOS as well as orders of magnitude of some of the transport parameters of this material. The DOS we propose is subsequently compared to those suggested to explain the threshold switching and the resistance drift phenomena.

Analytical Study of Resistance Drift Phenomena on (PANI)xMoO3 Hybrid Thin Films as Gas Sensors

Abstract Polyaniline (PANI)-intercalated MoO3 ((PANI)xMoO3), which is a conventional layered organic/MoO3 hybrid, as a gas sensor has a resistance drift problem, which should be solved in order to realize practical applicable gas sensing devices. In this analytical study, XPS studies reveal that the resistance drift is caused by adsorbing and desorbing oxygen molecules from the atmosphere. The adsorption of enough oxygen molecules by annealing in air at a higher temperature than operating temperature can reduce the resistance drift phenomena.

Operation and short-term drift of polysilicon-heated CMOS microstructuresat temperatures up to 1200 K

The results of this paper are pertinent to micromachinedintegrated chemical sensors, infrared sources and hotplates, among others.We report on the operation and characterization of micromachinedcomplementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) microstructures withintegrated CMOS polysilicon heaters at temperatures up to 1200 K. The newresults concern the stability of integrated CMOS polysilicon heaters undersuch extreme conditions. Two resistance drift phenomena appearing abovethe polysilicon recrystallization temperature Tcr≈870 Kwere identified. The first is a reversible resistance relaxation leadingto resistance changes of several tens of per cent. Relaxation times are ofthe order of minutes and point to a thermally activated process. Thesecond drift mechanism leads to slow resistance changes, for example, 3%after six hours above Tcr.Temperature calibration of such devices supported by finite elementsimulations is proven to be feasible and reliable. Despite the largetemperature gradients in the heated microstructures, natural convection inthe surrounding gas was found to be ineffective in comparison with heatconduction.

Resistance drift in aluminum to gold ultrasonic wire bonds

It is noted that the literature contains many instances of reliability problems associated with the aluminum wire to gold bond system. The authors, in evaluating the potentials of this technology, experienced similar problems and initiated some fundamental studies to enhance their knowledge base. The system of interest consisted of 0.002-in. diameter Al-1% wire ultrasonically bonded to Ni-Au electroplated Cu printed circuit pads. The reliability problems observed manifested themselves as resistance drifting associated with thermal aging of the sample. It was found that plating thickness, plating current density, and bath agitation strongly influenced the resistance drift phenomenon. A simple four-wire resistance test was developed to monitor for out-of-control gold plating. >