Memory materials and devices: From concept to application

Memory cells have always been an important element of information technology. With emerging technologies like big data and cloud computing, the scale and complexity of data storage has reached an unprecedented peak with a much higher requirement for memory technology. As is well known, better data storage is mostly achieved by miniaturization. However, as the size of the memory device is reduced, a series of problems, such as drain gate-induced leakage, greatly hinder the performance of memory units. To meet the increasing demands of information technology, novel and high-performance memory is urgently needed. Fortunately, emerging memory technologies are expected to improve memory performance and drive the information revolution. This review will focus on the progress of several emerging memory technologies, including two-dimensional material-based memories, resistance random access memory (RRAM), magnetic random access memory (MRAM), and phase-change random access memory (PCRAM). Advantages, mechanisms, and applications of these diverse memory technologies will be discussed in this review. image