Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Theoretical insights and experimental characterization of \(\hbox {HfO}_2\)-based OxRRAMs operation

  • S.I. : Computational Electronics of Emerging Memory Elements
  • Published:
Journal of Computational Electronics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The intensive research in resistive random access memories (RRAM) field has brought in significant improvements in the performance, optimization and reliability of the devices as well as more understanding on their operation. This was made possible through the combination of different tools starting from material engineering to device characterization, modeling and simulations. In this review, we bring an overview of our recent work on RRAM through experimental characterization and first-principles calculations. We explore the effects of metal electrodes on the switching performance and conductive filament (CF) stability of \(\hbox {HfO}_2\) oxide-based RRAM (OxRRAM). With the insight gained from the experimental data, we employ first-principles calculations to have a better microscopic understanding on OxRRAM operation. We show that CF stability and device operating voltages strongly depend on the electrode material. Ti being an electrode material of high interest, we investigate the type of \(\hbox {Ti/HfO}_2\) interface that may be formed and propose a probable composition. We also study the formation and migration of extended Frenkel-pair (EFP) defect in \(\hbox {HfO}_2\) which we consider to be the prototype defect responsible for OxRRAM degradation leading to CF formation. This EFP emission occurs through a cascading migration of O atoms inside \(\hbox {HfO}_2\) lattice. Based on EFP formation and diffusion, we present a simplified CF formation model. Finally, we study low resistance data retention failure in OxRRAM through \(\hbox {HfO}_2\), \(\hbox {Hf}_{1x}\hbox {Al}_{2x}\hbox {O}_{2+x}\) (HfAlO) and \(\hbox {Hf}_{1-x}\hbox {Ti}_{x}\hbox {O}_{2}\) (HfTiO) type of cells. We link its origin to the lateral diffusion of oxygen vacancies at the constriction/tip of the conductive filament in \(\hbox {HfO}_2\)-based RRAM.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11
Fig. 12
Fig. 13
Fig. 14

Similar content being viewed by others

Notes

  1. The global displacement vector is a 3N dimensions vector in phase space where N is the number of atoms. It is evaluated as the difference of atomic positions between two successive NEB images. Its norm is updated for each image and summed along the diffusion path. For a sufficient number of intermediate images, it can serve as a well defined reaction coordinate.

References

  1. Baek, I.G., Lee, M.S., Seo, S., Lee, M.J., Seo, D.H., Suh, D.S., Park, J.C., Park, S.O., Kim, H.S., Yoo, I.K., Chung, U.I., Moon, J.T.: IEEE International Electron Devices Meeting, 2004. IEDM Technical Digest, pp. 587–590 (2004)

  2. Ueki, M., Takeuchi, K., Yamamoto, T., Tanabe, A., Ikarashi, N., Saitoh, M., Nagumo, T., Sunamura, H., Narihiro, M., Uejima, K., Masuzaki, K., Furutake, N., Saito, S., Yabe, Y., Mitsuiki, A., Takeda, K., Hase, T., Hayashi, Y.: 2015 Symposium on VLSI Technology (VLSI Technology), pp. T108–T109 (2015)

  3. Butcher, B., Bersuker, G., Young-Fisher, K.G., Gilmer, D.C., Kalantarian, A., Nishi, Y., Geer, R., Kirsch, P.D., Jammy, R.: 2012 4th IEEE International Memory Workshop, pp. 1–4 (2012)

  4. Chien, T.K., Chiou, L.Y., Sheu, S.S., Lin, J.C., Lee, C.C., Ku, T.K., Tsai, M.J., Wu, C.I.: IEEE J. Emerg. Sel. Top. Circuits Syst. 6(2), 247 (2016)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Garbin, D., Vianello, E., Bichler, O., Rafhay, Q., Gamrat, C., Ghibaudo, G., DeSalvo, B., Perniola, L.: IEEE Trans. Electron Devices 62(8), 2494 (2015)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Nguyen, C., Cagli, C., Vianello, E., Persico, A., Molas, G., Reimbold, G., Rafhay, Q., Ghibaudo, G.: 2015 IEEE International Integrated Reliability Workshop (IIRW), pp. 17–20 (2015)

  7. Vianello, E., Thomas, O., Molas, G., Turkyilmaz, O., Jovanovi, N., Garbin, D., Palma, G., Alayan, M., Nguyen, C., Coignus, J., Giraud, B., Benoist, T., Reyboz, M., Toffoli, A., Charpin, C., Clermidy, F., Perniola, L.: 2014 IEEE International Electron Devices Meeting, pp. 6.3.1–6.3.4 (2014)

  8. Xu, X., Luo, Q., Gong, T., Lv, H., Long, S., Liu, Q., Chung, S.S., Li, J., Liu, M.: 2016 IEEE Symposium on VLSI Technology, pp. 1–2 (2016)

  9. Molas, G., Piccolboni, G., Barci, M., Traore, B., Guy, J., Palma, G., Vianello, E., Blaise, P., Portal, J.M., Bocquet, M., Levisse, A., Giraud, B., Noel, J.P., Harrand, M., Bernard, M., Roule, A., Salvo, B.D., Perniola, L.: 2016 International Symposium on VLSI Technology, Systems and Application (VLSI-TSA), pp. 1–2 (2016)

  10. Piccolboni, G., Molas, G., Portal, J.M., Coquand, R., Bocquet, M., Garbin, D., Vianello, E., Carabasse, C., Delaye, V., Pellissier, C., Magis, T., Cagli, C., Gely, M., Cueto, O., Deleruyelle, D., Ghibaudo, G., Salvo, B.D., Perniola, L.: 2015 IEEE International Electron Devices Meeting (IEDM), pp. 17.2.1–17.2.4 (2015)

  11. Nail, C., Molas, G., Blaise, P., Piccolboni, G., Sklenard, B., Cagli, C., Bernard, M., Roule, A., Azzaz, M., Vianello, E., Carabasse, C., Berthier, R., Cooper, D., Pelissier, C., Magis, T., Ghibaudo, G., Valle, C., Bedeau, D., Mosendz, O., Salvo, B.D., Perniola, L.: 2016 IEEE International Electron Devices Meeting (IEDM), pp. 4.5.1–4.5.4 (2016)

  12. Hsu, C.W., Wang, I.T., Lo, C.L., Chiang, M.C., Jang, W.Y., Lin, C.H., Hou, T.H.: 2013 Symposium on VLSI Technology, pp. T166–T167 (2013)

  13. Wang, W., Yang, H., Zhuo, V.Y., Li, M., Chua, E.K., Jiang, Y.: 2016 International Symposium on VLSI Technology, Systems and Application (VLSI-TSA), pp. 1–2 (2016)

  14. Govoreanu, B., Kar, G.S., Chen, Y.Y., Paraschiv, V., Kubicek, S., Fantini, A., Radu, I.P., Goux, L., Clima, S., Degraeve, R., Jossart, N., Richard, O., Vandeweyer, T., Seo, K., Hendrickx, P., Pourtois, G., Bender, H., Altimime, L., Wouters, D.J., Kittl, J.A., Jurczak, M.: 2011 International Electron Devices Meeting, pp. 31.6.1–31.6.4 (2011)

  15. Zhao, L., Jiang, Z., Chen, H.Y., Sohn, J., Okabe, K., Magyari-Köpe, B., Wong, H.S.P., Nishi, Y.: 2014 IEEE International Electron Devices Meeting, pp. 6.6.1–6.6.4 (2014)

  16. Traoré, B., Xue, K.H., Vianello, E., Molas, G., Blaise, P., Salvo, B.D., Padovani, A., Pirrotta, O., Larcher, L., Fonseca, L.R.C., Nishi, Y.: 2013 IEEE International Reliability Physics Symposium (IRPS), pp. 5E.2.1–5E.2.6 (2013)

  17. Diokh, T., Le-Roux, E., Jeannot, S., Gros-Jean, M., Candelier, P., Nodin, J.F., Jousseaume, V., Perniola, L., Grampeix, H., Cabout, T., Jalaguier, E., Guillermet, M., Salvo, B.D.: 2013 IEEE International Reliability Physics Symposium (IRPS), pp. 5E.4.1–5E.4.4 (2013)

  18. Cabout, T., Vianello, E., Jalaguier, E., Grampeix, H., Molas, G., Blaise, P., Cueto, O., Guillermet, M., Nodin, J.F., Pemiola, L., Blonkowski, S., Jeannot, S., Denorme, S., Candelier, P., Bocquet, M., Muller, C.: 2014 IEEE 6th International Memory Workshop (IMW), pp. 1–4 (2014)

  19. Xue, K.H., Traoré, B., Blaise, P., Fonseca, L.R.C., Vianello, E., Molas, G., Salvo, B.D., Ghibaudo, G., Magyari-Köpe, B., Nishi, Y.: Trans. IEEE Electron Devices 61(5), 1394 (2014)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Wong, H.S.P., Lee, H.Y., Yu, S., Chen, Y.S., Wu, Y., Chen, P.S., Lee, B., Chen, F.T., Tsai, M.J.: Proc. IEEE 100(6), 1951 (2012)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Larcher, L.: 2013 IEEE International Integrated Reliability Workshop Final Report, pp. 54–54 (2013)

  22. Pirrotta, O., Padovani, A., Larcher, L., Zhao, L., Magyari-Kpe, B., Nishi, Y.: 2014 International Conference on Simulation of Semiconductor Processes and Devices (SISPAD), pp. 37–40 (2014)

  23. Degraeve, R., Fantini, A., Raghavan, N., Goux, L., Clima, S., Chen, Y.Y., Belmonte, A., Cosemans, S., Govoreanu, B., Wouters, D.J., Roussel, P., Kar, G.S., Groeseneken, G., Jurczak, M.: Proceedings of the 21th International Symposium on the Physical and Failure Analysis of Integrated Circuits (IPFA), pp. 245–249 (2014)

  24. Magyari-Köpe, B., Zhao, L., Kamiya, K., Yang, M.Y., Shiraishi, K., Nishi, Y.: 2014 IEEE International Nanoelectronics Conference (INEC), pp. 1–3 (2014)

  25. Ielmini, D.: Semicond. Sci. Technol. 31(6), 063002 (2016)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. http://www.fujitsu.com/global/products/devices/semiconductor/memory/reram/spi-4m-mb85as4mt.html. Accessed 5 Mar 2017

  27. Waser, R., Dittmann, R., Staikov, G., Szot, K.: Adv. Mater. 21(25–26), 2632 (2009)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. Bersuker, G., Gilmer, D.C., Veksler, D., Kirsch, P., Vandelli, L., Padovani, A., Larcher, L., McKenna, K., Shluger, A., Iglesias, V., Porti, M., Nafria, M.: J. Appl. Phys. 110(12), 124518 (2011). doi:10.1063/1.3671565

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. Xue, K.H., Blaise, P., Fonseca, L.R.C., Nishi, Y.: Phys. Rev. Lett. 110, 065502 (2013)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. McKenna, K.P.: Model. Simul. Mater. Sci. Eng. 22(2), 025001 (2014)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  31. Menzel, S., Bottger, U., Wimmer, M., Salinga, M.: Adv. Funct. Mater. 25(40), 6306 (2015)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  32. Clima, S., Govoreanu, B., Jurczak, M., Pourtois, G.: Microelectron. Eng. 120, 13. MAM2013, Mar 10–13. Belgium, Leuven (2014)

  33. Traoré, B., Blaise, P., Vianello, E., Grampeix, H., Jeannot, S., Perniola, L., Salvo, B.D., Nishi, Y.: IEEE Trans. Electron Devices 62(12), 4029 (2015)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  34. Cartoixà, X., Rurali, R., Suñé, J.: Phys. Rev. B 86, 165445 (2012)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  35. Traoré, B., Blaise, P., Sklénard, B.: J. Phys. Chem. C 120(43), 25023 (2016)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  36. Traoré, B., Blaise, P., Vianello, E., Perniola, L., De Salvo, B., Nishi, Y.: IEEE Trans. Electron Devices 63(1), 360 (2016)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  37. Long, S., Perniola, L., Cagli, C., Buckley, J., Lian, X., Miranda, E., Pan, F., Liu, M., Suñé, J.: Sci. Rep. 3, 2929 (2013)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  38. Lin, K.L., Hou, T.H., Shieh, J., Lin, J.H., Chou, C.T., Lee, Y.J.: J. Appl. Phys. 109(8), 084104 (2011)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  39. Cagli, C., Buckley, J., Jousseaume, V., Cabout, T., Salaun, A., Grampeix, H., Nodin, J.F., Feldis, H., Persico, A., Cluzel, J., Lorenzi, P., Massari, L., Rao, R., Irrera, F., Aussenac, F., Carabasse, C., Coue, M., Calka, P., Martinez, E., Perniola, L., Blaise, P., Fang, Z., Yu, Y.H., Ghibaudo, G., Deleruyelle, D., Bocquet, M., Mller, C., Padovani, A., Pirrotta, O., Vandelli, L., Larcher, L., Reimbold, G., de Salvo, B.: 2011 International Electron Devices Meeting, pp. 28.7.1–28.7.4 (2011)

  40. Cabout, V., Buckley, J., Cagli, C., Jousseaume, V., Nodin, J.F., de Salvo, B., Bocquet, M., Muller, C.: Thin Solid Films 533, 19. EMRS 2012 Symposium L (2013)

  41. Chakrabarti, B., Galatage, R.V., Vogel, E.M.: IEEE Electron Device Lett. 34(7), 867 (2013)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  42. Traoré, B., Blaise, P., Vianello, E., Jalaguier, E., Molas, G., Nodin, J., Perniola, L., De Salvo, B., Nishi, Y.: IEEE IRPS, pp. 5E.2.1–5E.2.5 (2014)

  43. Zhuo, V.Y.Q., Li, M.H., Jiang, Y.: 2015 IEEE International Conference on Electron Devices and Solid-State Circuits (EDSSC), pp. 693–696 (2015)

  44. Chen, C.Y., Goux, L., Fantini, A., Redolfi, A., Clima, S., Degraeve, R., Chen, Y.Y., Groeseneken, G., Jurczak, M.: 2014 IEEE International Electron Devices Meeting, pp. 14.2.1–14.2.4 (2014)

  45. Hohenberg, P., Kohn, W.: Phys. Rev. 136, B864 (1964)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  46. Kohn, W., Sham, L.J.: Phys. Rev. 140, A1133 (1965)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  47. Soler, M., Artacho, E., Gale, J.D., Garc, A., Junquera, J., Ordejon, P., Daniel, S.: J. Phys. Condens. Matter 14(11), 2745 (2002)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  48. Perdew, J.P., Burke, K., Ernzerhof, M.: Phys. Rev. Lett. 77, 3865 (1996)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  49. Troullier, N., Martins, J.L.: Phys. Rev. B 43, 1993 (1991)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  50. Henkelman, G., Uberuaga, B.P., Jónsson, H.: J. Chem. Phys. 113(22), 9901 (2000)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  51. Bahn, S., Jacobsen, K.: Comput. Sci. Eng. 4(3), 56 (2002)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  52. Fantini, A., Goux, L., Degraeve, R., Wouters, D.J., Raghavan, N., Kar, G., Belmonte, A., Chen, Y.Y., Govoreanu, B., Jurczak, M.: 2013 5th IEEE International Memory Workshop, pp. 30–33 (2013)

  53. Hou, T.H., Lin, K.L., Shieh, J., Lin, J., Chou, C.T., Lee, Y.J.: Appl. Phys. Lett. 98(10), 103511 (2011)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  54. Sowinska, M., Bertaud, T., Walczyk, D., Thiess, S., Schubert, M.A., Lukosius, M., Drube, W., Walczyk, C., Schroeder, T.: Appl. Phys. Lett. 100(23), 233509 (2012)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  55. Padovani, A., Larcher, L., Padovani, P., Cagli, C., Salvo, B.D.: 2012 4th IEEE International Memory Workshop, pp. 1–4 (2012)

  56. Liu, H., Lv, H., Yang, B., Xu, X., Liu, R., Liu, Q., Long, S., Liu, M.: IEEE Electron Device Lett. 35(12), 1224 (2014)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  57. Gao, B., Kang, J.F., Chen, Y.S., Zhang, F.F., Chen, B., Huang, P., Liu, L.F., Liu, X.Y., Wang, Y.Y., Tran, X.A., Wang, Z.R., Yu, H.Y., Chin, A.: 2011 International Electron Devices Meeting, pp. 17.4.1–17.4.4 (2011)

  58. Fang, Z., Yu, H.Y., Liu, W.J., Wang, Z.R., Tran, X.A., Gao, B., Kang, J.F.: IEEE Electron Device Lett. 31(5), 476 (2010)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  59. Mukerjee, S., Srinivasan, S.: J. Electroanal. Chem. 357(1), 201 (1993)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  60. Xue, K.H., Blaise, P., Fonseca, L.R.C., Molas, G., Vianello, E., Traoré, B., De Salvo, B., Ghibaudo, G., Nishi, Y.: Appl. Phys. Lett. 102(20), 201908 (2013)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  61. Nagata, T., Haemori, M., Yamashita, Y., Yoshikawa, H., Iwashita, Y., Kobayashi, K., Chikyow, T.: Appl. Phys. Lett. 97(8), 082902 (2010)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  62. Burton, B.P., van de Walle, A.: Calphad 39, 97 (2012)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  63. Padilha, A.C.M., Osorio-Guillén, J.M., Rocha, A.R., Dalpian, G.M.: Phys. Rev. B 90, 035213 (2014)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  64. Marezio, M., Dernier, P.: J. Solid State Chem. 3(3), 340 (1971)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  65. Burton, B.P., van de Walle, A.: Calphad 37, 151 (2012)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  66. Puchala, B., Van der Ven, A.: Phys. Rev. B 88, 094108 (2013)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  67. Traoré, B., Vianello, E., Molas, G., Gely, M., Nodin, J.F., Jalaguier, E., Blaise, P., Salvo, B.D., Fonseca, L.R.C., Xue, K.H., Nishi, Y.: 2013 Proceedings of the European Solid-State Device Research Conference (ESSDERC), pp. 170–173 (2013)

  68. Wu, H.H., Trinkle, D.R.: Phys. Rev. Lett. 107, 045504 (2011)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  69. Capron, N., Broqvist, P., Pasquarello, A.: Appl. Phys. Lett. 91(19), 192905 (2007)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  70. Padovani, A., Larcher, L., Bersuker, G., Pavan, P.: IEEE. Electron Device Lett. 34(5), 680 (2013)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  71. Öttking, R., Kupke, S., Nadimi, E., Leitsmann, R., Lazarevic, F., Plänitz, P., Roll, G., Slesazeck, S., Trentzsch, M., Mikolajick, T.: Phys. Status Solidi (a) 212(3), 547 (2015). doi:10.1002/pssa.201431697

    Article  Google Scholar 

  72. Bradley, S.R., Shluger, A.L., Bersuker, G.: Phys. Rev. Appl. 4, 064008 (2015)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  73. McPherson, J., Kim, J.Y., Shanware, A., Mogul, H.: Appl. Phys. Lett. 82(13), 2121 (2003)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  74. Zheng, J., Ceder, G., Maxisch, T., Chim, W., Choi, W.: Phys. Rev. B 75(10), 104112 (2007)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  75. Gavrikov, A.V., Knizhnik, A.A., Bagaturyants, A.A., Potapkin, B.V., Fonseca, L.R.C., Stoker, M.W., Schaeffer, J.: J. Appl. Phys. 101(1), 014310 (2007)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  76. Broqvist, P., Pasquarello, A.: Appl. Phys. Lett. 89(26), 262904 (2006)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  77. Xiong, K., Robertson, J., Gibson, M.C., Clark, S.J.: Appl. Phys. Lett. 87(18), 183505 (2005)

  78. Ashcroft, N., Mermin, N.: Solid State Physics. Saunders College, Philadelphia (1976)

    MATH  Google Scholar 

  79. Setvín, M., Aschauer, U., Scheiber, P., Li, Y.F., Hou, W., Schmid, M., Selloni, A., Diebold, U.: Science 341(6149), 988 (2013)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  80. Calka, P., Martinez, E., Delaye, V., Lafond, D., Audoit, G., Mariolle, D., Chevalier, N., Grampeix, H., Cagli, C., Jousseaume, V., Guedj, C.: Nanotechnology 24(8), 085706 (2013)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  81. Hubert, Q., Jahan, C., Toffoli, A., Delaye, V., Lafond, D., Grampeix, H., de Salvo, B.: IEEE Trans. Electron Devices 60(7), 2268 (2013)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  82. Traoré, B.,Blaise, P., Vianello, E., Grampeix, H., Bonnevialle, A., Jalaguier, E., Molas, G., Jeannot, S., Perniola, L., Desalvo, B., Nishi, Y.: IEEE IEDM, pp. 21.5.1–21.5.4 (2014)

Download references

Acknowledgements

This work was financially supported by the Nanosciences Foundation, under UJF Foundation, in Grenoble, France. Part of the calculations were performed on CEA/Grenoble “Summer” cluster and Stanford Universitys “Baymax” cluster. The authors thank Prof. Yoshio Nishi, Blanka Magyari-Köpe and Jimmy Wu from Stanford University.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institut des Sciences Chimiques de Rennes (ISCR), CNRS, UMR 6226, Université de Rennes 1, 35042, Rennes, France

    B. Traore

  2. Université Grenoble Alpes, 38000, Grenoble, France

    P. Blaise, E. Vianello & B. Sklénard

  3. CEA, LETI, MINATEC Campus, 38054, Grenoble, France

    P. Blaise, E. Vianello & B. Sklénard

Authors
  1. B. Traore
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. P. Blaise
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. E. Vianello
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. B. Sklénard
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to B. Traore.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Traore, B., Blaise, P., Vianello, E. et al. Theoretical insights and experimental characterization of \(\hbox {HfO}_2\)-based OxRRAMs operation. J Comput Electron 16, 1045–1056 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10825-017-1085-5

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10825-017-1085-5

Keywords

Search

Navigation