Configurable multi-state non-volatile memory behaviors in Ti3C2 nanosheets

MXenes have drawn considerable attention in both academia and industry due to their attractive properties, such as a combination of metallic conductivity and surface hydrophilicity. However, to the best of our knowledge, the potential use of MXenes in nonvolatile resistive random access memories (RRAMs) has rarely been reported. In this paper, we first demonstrated a RRAM device with MXene (Ti3C2) as the active component. The Ti3C2-based RRAM exhibited typical bipolar switching behavior, long retention characteristics, low SET voltage, good mechanical stability and excellent reliability. By adjusting different compliance currents in the SET process, multi-state information storage was achieved. The charge trapping assisting hopping process is considered to be the main mechanism of resistive switching for this fabricated Ti3C2-based RRAM, which was verified by conductive atomic force microscopy (C-AFM) and Kelvin probe force microscopy (KPFM). Moreover, this flexible Ti3C2-based RRAM, with good mechanical stability and long retention properties, was successfully fabricated on a plastic substrate. Ti3C2-based RRAMs may open the door to additional applications and functionalities, with high potential for application in flexible electronics.