Improved current distribution in resistive memory on flexible substrate using nitrogen-rich TaN electrode

Narrow current distribution, good endurance, and low 28 mu W switching power are successfully achieved in Ni/GeOx/TiOy/TaN resistive random access memory devices. The good distribution and endurance are attributed to the nitrogen-rich TaN to increase the oxidation resistance and decrease the TaON and oxygen vacancies formation from x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurements, where such oxygen vacancies are related to current conduction at high resistance state. In addition, the devices on the flexible polyimide substrate exhibit excellent mechanical endurance upon repeated bending tests, showing their high potential for low-cost flexible memory application. (C) 2012 American Institute of Physics. [http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.4772003]