Resistive switching characteristics and mechanisms of Pt-embedded SrZrO3 memory devices

The effects of embedded Pt (E-Pt) metal layer on the resistive switching characteristics and mechanisms of SrZrO3 (SZO) memory devices are investigated in this study. The E-Pt is shown by transmission electron microscopy observation to thermally diffuse into SZO thin film to form E-Pt clusters and no chemical reaction occurs between Pt and SZO during 600 degrees C postannealing process. The carrier transport of high resistance state current of 600 degrees C E-Pt devices is dominated by Ohmic conduction and Frenkel-Poole (F-P) emission in the low- and high-voltage region, respectively, which is quite different from that of without E-Pt memory devices being principally dominated by F P emission. Furthermore, the forming voltage and turn-on voltage of E-Pt devices are significantly lowered to -3.5 V and vertical bar 2.3 vertical bar V, respectively, due to the reduction in effective thickness of SZO thin films caused by E-Pt clusters formed, which benefit the future development of resistive random access memory devices in practical application. (c) 2010 American Institute of Physics. [doi:10.1063/1.3437635]