Sol-gel-processed amorphous-phase ZrO2 based resistive random access memory

In this study, sol-gel-processed amorphous-phase ZrO2 was used as an active channel material to improve the resistive switching properties of resistive random access memories (RRAMs). ITO/ZrO2/Ag RRAM devices exhibit the properties of bipolar RRAMs. The effect of the post-annealing temperature on the electrical properties of the ZrO2 RRAM was investigated. Unlike the ZrO2 films annealed at 400 and 500 degrees C, those annealed at 300 degrees C were in amorphous phase. The RRAM based on the amorphous-phase ZrO2 exhibited an improved high-resistance state (HRS) to low-resistance state ratio (over 10(6)) as well as promising retention and endurance characteristics without deterioration. Furthermore, its disordered nature, which causes efficient carrier scattering, resulted in low carrier mobility and the lowest leakage current, influencing the HRS values.

Automated summary

In this study, sol-gel-processed amorphous-phase ZrO2 was utilized as an active channel material to enhance the resistive switching properties of resistive random access memories (RRAMs), demonstrating improved high-resistance state to low-resistance state ratio, retention, and endurance characteristics without degradation. The amorphous-phase nature of ZrO2 resulted in efficient carrier scattering, leading to low carrier mobility and the lowest leakage current, thus affecting the high-resistance state values.