Wen-Pin Lin

Highly scalable hafnium oxide memory with improvements of resistive distribution and read disturb immunity

A 30×30 nm2 HfOx resistance random access memory (RRAM) with excellent electrical performances is demonstrated for the scaling feasibility in this work. A 1 Kb one transistor and one resistor (1T1R) array with robust characteristics was also fabricated successfully. The device yield of the 1 Kb array is 100%, and the endurance for these devices can exceed 106 cycles by a pulse width of 40 ns. Two effective verification methods, which make a tight distribution of high resistance (RHIGH) and low resistance (RLOW) are proposed for the array to ensure a good operation window. A thin AlOx buffer layer under the HfOx layer was adopted to enhance the read disturb immunity. Without large parasitic capacitance, the 1T1R RRAM devices exhibit excellent program(PGM)/erase(ERS) disturb immunity.

A 4Mb embedded SLC resistive-RAM macro with 7.2ns read-write random-access time and 160ns MLC-access capability

Several emerging nonvolatile memories (NVMs) including phase-change RAM (PCRAM) [1–3], MRAM [4–5], and resistive RAM (RRAM) [6–8] have achieved faster operating speeds than embedded Flash. Among those emerging NVMs, RRAM has advantages in faster write time, a larger resistance-ratio (R-ratio), and smaller write power consumption. However, RRAM cells have large cross-die and within-die resistance variations (R-variations) and require low read-mode bitline (BL) bias voltage (VBL-R) to prevent read disturbance. This work proposes process/resistance variation-insensitive read schemes for embedded RRAM to achieve fast read speeds with high yields. An embedded mega-bit scale (4Mb), single-level-cell (SLC) RRAM macro with sub-8ns read-write random-access time is presented. Multi-level-cell (MLC) operation with 160ns write-ver-ify operation is demonstrated.

Evidence and solution of over-RESET problem for HfO X based resistive memory with sub-ns switching speed and high endurance

The memory performances of the HfOX based bipolar resistive memory, including switching speed and memory reliability, are greatly improved in this work. Record high switching speed down to 300 ps is achieved. The cycling test shed a clear light on the wearing behavior of resistance states, and the correlation between over-RESET phenomenon and the worn low resistance state in the devices is discussed. The modified bottom electrode is proposed for the memory device to maintain the memory window and to endure resistive switching up to 1010 cycles.

A low store energy, low VDDmin, nonvolatile 8T2R SRAM with 3D stacked RRAM devices for low power mobile applications

This work demonstrates the first fabricated macro-level RRAM-based nonvolatile SRAM (nvSRAM) that use a new 8T2R (Rnv8T) cell to achieve fast NVM storage and low VDDmin read/write operations. The Rnv8T cell uses two fast-write low-current RRAM devices, 3D stacked over the 8T, to achieve low store energy with a compact cell area (1.6x that of a 6T cell). A 2T RRAM-switch provides both RRAM control and write-assist functions. This write assist feature enables Rnv8T cell to use read favored transistor sizing against read/write failure at a lower VDD. The fabricated 16Kb Rnv8T macro achieves the lowest store energy and R/W VDDmin (0.45V) than other nvSRAM and “SRAM+NVM” solutions.

Fast-Write Resistive RAM (RRAM) for Embedded Applications

Especially for microcontroller and mobile applications, embedded nonvolatile memory is an important technology offering to reduce power and provide local persistent storage. This article describes a new resistive RAM device with fast write operation to improve the speed of embedded nonvolatile memories.

Challenges and opportunities for HfO X based resistive random access memory

The binary oxide based resistive memories showing superior electrical performances on the resistive switching are reviewed in this paper. The status and challenges of the HfOX based resistive device with excellent memory properties are presented. Several future challenges for the filamentary type switching device are also addressed.

A ReRAM integrated 7T2R non-volatile SRAM for normally-off computing application

This study demonstrates a new 7T2R nonvolatile SRAM (nvSRAM) with 3D ReRAM stacked structure for normally-off computing application. With this structure, the fully performance of SRAM can work well in active mode, and reduce the leakage current in power-off mode. High performance HfOx based ReRAM is used for high speed storage element and exhibits an instant-on characteristic. The present 7T2R nvSRAM cell includes a 1T2R RRAM (1 transistor/2 resistive memory) cell and a 6T SRAM circuit, which is low area penalty and achieve the nvSRAM function. The write margin is improved over 1.03x and 1.37x larger than that of 6T SRAM and 6T2R nvSRAM. The access time and read/write power consumption in 7T2R nvSRAM is better than that of 8T2R structure. Finally, a 16 Kb macro was fabricated with a 0.18 μm TSMC FEOL and ITRI BEOL. According to the measurement result, the VDDmin can be low down to 0.7 V and access time can be fast as 8.3 ns without pad delay. The data storage time is only 10 ns for SET and RESET in the ReRAM cell.

A nonvolatile look-up table using ReRAM for reconfigurable logic

This study demonstrated a nonvolatile look-up table (nvLUT) that involves using resistive random access memory (ReRAM) cells with normally-off and instant-on functions for suppressing standby current. Compared with the conventional static random access memory (SRAM)-magnetoresistive random-access memory (MRAM)-hybrid LUTs the proposed ReRAM-based two-input nvLUT circuit decreases the number of transistors and the area of nvLUT by 79% and 90.4%, respectively. The areas of the two- and three-input ReRAM nvLUTs are 11.5% and 74.2% smaller than the other MRAM-based two-input and PCM-based three-input LUTs, respectively. Because of the low current switching and high R-ratio characteristics of ReRAM, the proposed ReRAM-based nvLUT achieves 24% less power consumption than that of SRAM-MRAM-hybrid LUTs. The functionality of the fabricated adder of the three-input ReRAM nvLUT was confirmed using an HfOx-based ReRAM and a 0.18-μm complementary metal-oxide semiconductor with a delay time of 900 ps.