Impact of TaOx nanolayer at the GeSex/W interface on resistive switching memory performance and investigation of Cu nanofilament

The impact of a TaOx nanolayer at the GeSex/W interface on the performance of resistive switching memory in an Al/Cu/GeSex/TaOx/W structure has been examined. All materials and the memory structure have been investigated using high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, energy dispersive x ray spectroscopy, and x ray photo-electron spectroscopy analyses. A conically shaped crystalline Cu (111) nanofilament with a diameter of around 17 nm in the TaOx nanolayer after a current compliance (CC) of 500 mu A has been observed, and this has been also characterized by fast Fourier transform. The low resistance state (LRS) decreases as the current compliances (CCs) increased from 1 nA to 1 mA, since the nanofilament diameter increased from 0.04 to 23.4 nm. This is also estimated by bipolar resistive switching characteristics. The resistivity of this crystalline Cu nanofilament is approximately 2300 mu Omega.cm. The nanofilament has a cylindrical shape, with CCs ranging from 1 nA to 10 mu A and a conical shape with CCs ranging from 50 mu A-1 mA. The resistive switching mechanism has been explained successfully under SET and RESET operations. Improved resistive switching parameters, such as SET voltage, LRS, and high resistance state with consecutive switching cycles are obtained and compared to those of pure GeSex and TaOx materials. Extrapolated, long program/erase endurance of > 10(6) cycles, attributed to the Al/Cu/GeSex/TaOx/W structure design, is observed. This resistive switching memory structure shows extrapolated 10 years data retention with a resistance ratio of > 10 at a low CC of 0.1 mu A at 50 degrees C. A large memory size of similar to 6 Pbit/sq. in. is obtained, considering the nanofilament diameter at a low CC of 0.1 mu A. This study is important not only for improving the performance of low-power resistive switching memory, but also helpful for designing other nonvolatile memory devices. (C) 2012 American Institute of Physics. [http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.3696972]