Probing resistive switching in HfO 2 /Al 2 O 3 bilayer oxides using in-situ transmission electron microscopy

• In this work, we investigate the resistive switching in hafnium dioxide (HfO2) and aluminum oxide (Al2O3) bilayered stacks using in-situ transmission electron microscopy and X-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy. Conductance of the HfO2/Al2O3 stack changes gradually upon electrical stressing which is related to the formation of extended nanoscale physical defects at the HfO2/Al2O3 interface and the migration and re-crystallization of Al into the oxide bulk. The results suggest two competing physical mechanisms including the redistribution of oxygen ions and the migration of Al species from the Al electrode during the switching process. While the HfO2/Al2O3 bilayered stack appears to be a good candidate for RRAM technology, the low diffusion barrier of the active Al electrode causes severe Al migration in the bi-layered oxides leading to the device to fail in resetting, and thereby, largely limiting the overall switching performance and material reliability.

Subject headings

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Fysik -- Den kondenserade materiens fysik (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Physical Sciences -- Condensed Matter Physics (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Reliability

Resistive Memory

Diffusion Barrier

TEM

Metal migration

Publication and Content Type

art (subject category)

ref (subject category)