Cheol Seong Hwang

Atomic structure of conducting nanofilaments in TiO2 resistive switching memory

Resistance switching in metal oxides could form the basis for next-generation non-volatile memory. It has been argued that the current in the high-conductivity state of several technologically relevant oxide materials flows through localized filaments, but these filaments have been characterized only indirectly, limiting our understanding of the switching mechanism. Here, we use high-resolution transmission electron microscopy to probe directly the nanofilaments in a Pt/TiO(2)/Pt system during resistive switching. In situ current-voltage and low-temperature (approximately 130 K) conductivity measurements confirm that switching occurs by the formation and disruption of Ti(n)O(2n-1) (or so-called Magnéli phase) filaments. Knowledge of the composition, structure and dimensions of these filaments will provide a foundation for unravelling the full mechanism of resistance switching in oxide thin films, and help guide research into the stability and scalability of such films for applications.

Resistive switching mechanism of TiO2 thin films grown by atomic-layer deposition

The resistive switching mechanism of 20- to 57-nm-thick TiO2 thin films grown by atomic-layer deposition was studied by current-voltage measurements and conductive atomic force microscopy. Electric pulse-induced resistance switching was repetitively (> a few hundred times) observed with a resistance ratio ⪢102. Both the low- and high-resistance states showed linear log current versus log voltage graphs with a slope of 1 in the low-voltage region where switching did not occur. The thermal stability of both conduction states was also studied. Atomic force microscopy studies under atmosphere and high-vacuum conditions showed that resistance switching is closely related to the formation and elimination of conducting spots. The conducting spots of the low-resistance state have a few tens times higher conductivity than those of the high-resistance state and their density is also a few tens times higher which results in a ∼103 times larger overall conductivity. An interesting finding was that the area where the ...

Emerging memories: resistive switching mechanisms and current status

The resistance switching behaviour of several materials has recently attracted considerable attention for its application in non-volatile memory (NVM) devices, popularly described as resistive random access memories (RRAMs). RRAM is a type of NVM that uses a material(s) that changes the resistance when a voltage is applied. Resistive switching phenomena have been observed in many oxides: (i) binary transition metal oxides (TMOs), e.g. TiO(2), Cr(2)O(3), FeO(x) and NiO; (ii) perovskite-type complex TMOs that are variously functional, paraelectric, ferroelectric, multiferroic and magnetic, e.g. (Ba,Sr)TiO(3), Pb(Zr(x) Ti(1-x))O(3), BiFeO(3) and Pr(x)Ca(1-x)MnO(3); (iii) large band gap high-k dielectrics, e.g. Al(2)O(3) and Gd(2)O(3); (iv) graphene oxides. In the non-oxide category, higher chalcogenides are front runners, e.g. In(2)Se(3) and In(2)Te(3). Hence, the number of materials showing this technologically interesting behaviour for information storage is enormous. Resistive switching in these materials can form the basis for the next generation of NVM, i.e. RRAM, when current semiconductor memory technology reaches its limit in terms of density. RRAMs may be the high-density and low-cost NVMs of the future. A review on this topic is of importance to focus concentration on the most promising materials to accelerate application into the semiconductor industry. This review is a small effort to realize the ambitious goal of RRAMs. Its basic focus is on resistive switching in various materials with particular emphasis on binary TMOs. It also addresses the current understanding of resistive switching behaviour. Moreover, a brief comparison between RRAMs and memristors is included. The review ends with the current status of RRAMs in terms of stability, scalability and switching speed, which are three important aspects of integration onto semiconductors.

Multifunctional wearable devices for diagnosis and therapy of movement disorders

Wearable systems that monitor muscle activity, store data and deliver feedback therapy are the next frontier in personalized medicine and healthcare. However, technical challenges, such as the fabrication of high-performance, energy-efficient sensors and memory modules that are in intimate mechanical contact with soft tissues, in conjunction with controlled delivery of therapeutic agents, limit the wide-scale adoption of such systems. Here, we describe materials, mechanics and designs for multifunctional, wearable-on-the-skin systems that address these challenges via monolithic integration of nanomembranes fabricated with a top-down approach, nanoparticles assembled by bottom-up methods, and stretchable electronics on a tissue-like polymeric substrate. Representative examples of such systems include physiological sensors, non-volatile memory and drug-release actuators. Quantitative analyses of the electronics, mechanics, heat-transfer and drug-diffusion characteristics validate the operation of individual components, thereby enabling system-level multifunctionalities.

Anode-interface localized filamentary mechanism in resistive switching of TiO2 thin films

The filamentary resistance switching mechanism of a Pt∕40nm TiO2∕Pt capacitor structure in voltage sweep mode was investigated. It was unambiguously found that the conducting filaments propagate from the cathode interface and that the resistance switching is induced by the rupture and recovery of the filaments in the localized region (3–10nm thick) near the anode. The electrical conduction behavior in the high resistance state was well explained by the space charge limited current (SCLC) mechanism that occurs in the filament-free region. The various parameters extracted from the SCLC fitting supported the localized rupture and formation of filaments near the anode.

Identification of a determining parameter for resistive switching of TiO2 thin films

Electric-pulse-induced resistive switching of 43nm thick TiO2 thin films grown by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition was studied by current-voltage (I-V) and constant voltage-time measurements. The resistance ratio between the two stable states of the film constitutes approximately 1000. The allowed current level and voltage step width during the sweep mode I-V measurements influenced switching parameters, such as the switching voltage, time before switching, and resistance values. However, it was clearly observed that the power imparted to the film controlled mainly switching. The required power for successful switching was almost invariant irrespective of other measurement variables.

Efficient CH3NH3PbI3 Perovskite Solar Cells Employing Nanostructured p‐Type NiO Electrode Formed by a Pulsed Laser Deposition

Highly transparent and nanostructured nickel oxide (NiO) films through pulsed laser deposition are introduced for efficient CH3 NH3 PbI3 perovskite solar cells. The (111)-oriented nanostructured NiO film plays a key role in extracting holes and preventing electron leakage as hole transporting material. The champion device exhibits a power conversion efficiency of 17.3% with a very high fill factor of 0.813.

High dielectric constant TiO2 thin films on a Ru electrode grown at 250 °C by atomic-layer deposition

TiO2 thin films with high dielectric constants (83–100) were grown on a Ru electrode at a growth temperature of 250 °C using the atomic-layer deposition method. The as-deposited films were crystallized with rutile structure. Adoption of O3 with a very high concentration (400g∕m3) was crucial for obtaining the rutile phase and the high dielectric constant. The leakage current density of a TiO2 film with an equivalent oxide thickness of 1.0–1.5 nm was 10−6–10−8A∕cm2 at ±1V. All these electrical properties were obtained after limited postannealing where the annealing temperature was <500°C, which is crucial to the structural stability of the Ru electrode. Therefore, these TiO2 films are very promising as the capacitor dielectrics of dynamic random access memories. TiO2 films grown on a bare Si wafer or Pt electrode by the same process had anatase structure and a dielectric constant of ∼40.

Localized switching mechanism in resistive switching of atomic-layer-deposited TiO2 thin films

The resistance switching mechanism of TiO2 films under voltage sweep mode was investigated. From the observed soft set of Pt∕TiO2∕Pt sample and from the polarity-dependant switching behavior of Ir(O)∕TiO2∕Pt sample, local rupture and recovery of conducting filaments near the anode interface wer identified as the switching mechanism. This is consistent with the authors’ recent observation [K. Kim et al., Electrchem. Solid-State Lett. 9, G343 (2006)] of the resistance switching property of Al2O3∕TiO2 multilayers, where switching was controlled by the layer close to the anode. It appears that most parts of the filaments are preserved during switching and only a small portion of the film near the anode contributes to switching.

Effect of high-pressure oxygen annealing on negative bias illumination stress-induced instability of InGaZnO thin film transistors

Negative-bias illumination stress (NBIS) of amorphous InGaZnO (IGZO) transistors can cause a large negative shift (>7.1 V) in threshold voltage, something frequently attributed to the trapping of photoinduced hole carriers. This work demonstrates that the deterioration of threshold voltage by NBIS can be strongly suppressed by high-pressure annealing under 10 atm O2 ambient. This improvement occurred through a reduction in oxygen vacancy defects in the IGZO film, indicating that a photoinduced transition from VO to VO2+ was responsible for the NBIS-induced instability.