Investigation on Switching Mechanism of Resistive RAM using in-situ TEM-STM

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25420279
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Electronic materials/Electric materials
• Research Institution: Hokkaido University
• Principal Investigator: Arita Masashi 北海道大学, 情報科学研究科, 准教授 (20222755)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): TAKAHASHI Yasuo 北海道大学, 大学院情報科学研究科, 教授 (90374610) ; SUEOKA Kazuhisa 北海道大学, 大学院情報科学研究科, 教授 (60250479) ; SHIBAYAMA Tamaki 北海道大学, 工学(系)研究科(研究院), 教授 (10241564)
• Research Collaborator: KUDO Masaki ; OHNO Yuuki ; TAKAHASHI Akihito ; HIRATA Shuichiro ; MURAKAMI Yosuke ; OCHI Hayato ; YONESAKA Ryota ; MUTO Satoshi ; NAKANE Akitoshi ; HIROI Takahiro ; KATSUMURA Reon ; MORI Yuji
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: 抵抗変化メモリ / 電子顕微鏡 / 電子・電気材料 / 電子デバイス・機器 / ナノ材料

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Resistive memory (ReRAM) has been intensively investigated as a non-volatile memory satisfying beyond CMOS technology. Elucidation of its switching mechanism is the most important issue for practical use of ReRAM. While an operation mechanism based on electrochemistry has been proposed, details are obscure. In this work, the in-situ TEM was applied to solve this problem, where real-time observations of the microstructure were performed on metallic-filamant-type ReRAM. It was clarified that the metallic filament shows no remarkable change at the switching moment between high (HRS) to low (LRS) resistance states (Set and Reset). Switching occurs locally in nanometer scale. Remarkable change of the filament occurs with additional current flow. Large change of the filament induceas instability of the switching position and dissolution of metallic ions into the switching layer, and it generates device degradation. The power balance at Set and Reset is important for stable ReRAM operation.

Free Research Field

電気電子工学