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The role of defects in resistively switching chalcogenides

  • Rainer Waser , Regina Dittmann , Martin Salinga and Matthias Wuttig
Published/Copyright: May 15, 2013
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International Journal of Materials Research
From the journal International Journal of Materials Research Volume 101 Issue 2

Abstract

This overview describes the present understanding of resistive switching phenomena encountered in chalcogenide-based cells which may be utilized in energy-efficient non-volatile memory devices and in array-based logic applications. We introduce the basic operation principle of the phase change mechanism, the thermochemical mechanism, and the valence change mechanism and we discuss the crucial role of structural defects in the switching processes. We show how this role is determined by the atomic structure of the defects, the electronic defect states, and/or the ion transport properties of the defects. The electronic structure of the systems in different resistance states is described in the light of the chemical bonds involved. While for phase change alloys the interplay of ionicity and hybridization in the crystalline and in the amorphous phase determine the resistances, the local redox reaction at the site of extended defects, the change in the oxygen stoichiometry, and the resulting change in the occupancy of relevant orbitals play the major role in transition metal oxides which switch by the thermochemical and the valence change mechanism. Phase transformations are not only discussed for phase change alloys but also for redox-related switching processes. The switching kinetics as well as the ultimate scalability of switching cells are related to structural defects in the materials.

Keywords: Phase change; Redox reaction; Transition metal oxides; Memristive; Chalcogenides
∗ Correspondence address, Professor Rainer Waser Institut für Werkstoffe der Elektrotechnik, RWTH Aachen 52072 Aachen, Germany E-mail:

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Received: 2009-9-1
Accepted: 2009-12-20
Published Online: 2013-05-15
Published in Print: 2010-02-01

© 2010, Carl Hanser Verlag, München

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https://doi.org/10.3139/146.110276
Keywords for this article
Phase change; Redox reaction; Transition metal oxides; Memristive; Chalcogenides

Articles in the same Issue

  1. Contents
  2. Contents
  3. Editorial
  4. Materials for Information Technology
  5. Feature
  6. Advanced high-k/metal gate stack progress and challenges – a materials and process integration perspective
  7. Spintronics in metallic superconductor/ferromagnet hybrid structures
  8. Graphene metrology and devices
  9. The role of defects in resistively switching chalcogenides
  10. Materials in optical data storage
  11. Scaling effects on microstructure and reliability for Cu interconnects
  12. Effects of e-beam curing on glass structureand mechanical properties of nanoporous organosilicate thin films
  13. Printing materials for electronic devices
  14. Basic
  15. Characterisation of lead – calcium alloys ageing in anisothermal conditions by calorimetric, resistance and hardness in-situ measurements
  16. Thermodynamic predictions of Mg – Al – Ca alloy compositions amenable to semi-solid forming
  17. Capillary equilibrium in a semi-solid Al – Cu slurry
  18. A comparative study of room-temperature creep in lead-free tin-based solder alloys
  19. Modeling creep in a thick composite cylinder subjected to internal and external pressures
  20. Applied
  21. The oxidation behaviour of the 9 % Cr steel P92in CO2- and H2O-rich gases relevant to oxyfuel environments
  22. Effect of thermal and mechanical treatments on the hot working response of Mg-3Sn-1Ca alloy
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  24. Ni2O3-modified TiO2 – xNx as efficientvisible-light photocatalysts
  25. Dependence of optical, structural and electrical properties of ZnxCd1–xS thin films prepared by co-evaporation on the composition for x = 0 – 1
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