One-dimensional model of the programming kinetics of conductive-bridge memory cells

A one-dimensional model of filament growth in conductive-bridge memory cells is presented, in which ions are thermally excited from the anode surface into the electrolyte, pulled by the electric field through a periodic series of wells and reduced at the cathode to form a metallic filament. The voltage, temperature, and thickness dependencies of the time required to program a cell are calculated, and material parameters for Ag/GeS2/W cells are obtained by comparison to experiment. The relation of the model to recent observations of quantized conductance is highlighted, as is the need for further study of the Ag/GeS2 interface. (C) 2011 American Institute of Physics. [doi: 10.1063/1.3623485]