Set Variability and Failure Induced by Complementary Switching in Bipolar RRAM

The resistive switching memory (RRAM) offers fast switching, low-voltage operation, and scalable device area. However, reliability and variability issues must be understood, particularly in the low-current operation regime. This letter addresses set-state variability and presents a new set failure phenomenon in RRAM, leading to a high-resistance tail in the set-state distribution. The set failure is due to complementary switching of the RRAM, causing an increase of resistance soon after the set transition. The dependence of set failure on the programing current is explained by the increasing voltage stress across the RRAM device causing filament disconnection.