Effect of Annealing on Morphological, Structural and Electrical Characteristics of Zinc Oxide Layer for RRAM Applications

Abstract

This study looks at the results of resistive random-access memory (ReRAM) devices made by using structural layers of Gold (Au)/Zinc oxide (ZnO)/Indium tin oxide (ITO). An annealed device resistance ratio increases nonlinearly. After annealing, the resistance ratio was found to be 102 at 1V. The device's switching properties improved after annealing. Rutherford backscattering spectrometry determined the thickness of the deposited zinc oxide layer to be approximately 140±10 nm. The zinc atomic fractions were calculated to be 60% and oxygen 40% by the SIMNRA simulation. The ZnO-based structures were also characterized and analyzed using X-ray powder diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The current study reveals that annealing improves the performance of ReRAM devices.

Resistive Switching and Synaptic Characteristics in ZnO/TaON-Based RRAM for Neuromorphic System

“…Therefore, the energy band diagram of ITO/ZnO/TaON/TaN is represented in Figure 3c in its initial state. The positive bias for the conductive path that consists of oxygen vacancies applies to ITO, and the free electrons can flow from TaN to ITO through the oxygen vacancies [43]. This phenomenon is the Poole-Frenkel emission effect [55], which describes how an electric current flows efficiently despite the trapping of electrons in an insulator when a sizeable electric force is applied to the TE.…”

“…For example, ITO/ZnO/TiN devices have demonstrated that the phenomenon of resistance switching varies depending on the illumination of UV [40][41][42]. Transparent RRAM for invisible devices based on ZnO have recently used transparent electrodes such as ITO [43]. ITO/ZnO/ITO devices have high transmittance, reliability, and potential as synaptic devices [44].…”

Sputter Deposited Mn‐doped ZnO Thin Film for Resistive Memory Applications

“…Switching characteristics in the films is attributed to the presence of defects in the films such as oxygen vacancies which tend to form a conducting filament under the applied voltage sweep, near to a specific value of potential. [19,24] These conducting channels annihilate when the potential is away from the desired value. Therefore, appearance and annihilation of such conducting channels gives to the sudden change in resistance.…”

“…The switching behavior in electrical resistance in ZnO thin films has been attributed to the presence of defects such as oxygen vacancies, in the films. [19][20][21][22][23] Recently, significant enhancement in the RRAM properties in ZnO thin films has been reported by irradiating the films with 100 MeV Ag 9 + ions. [24] by tailoring the defect-density the electrical properties and the switching characteristics of ZnO thin films can be tuned.…”

“…[18] In past few years, research attention has been drawn towards resistive memory devices such as resistive random-access memory (RRAM) which are compact, fast, durable, economic and compatible with CMOS fabrication technology. [19,20] Such devices require materials exhibiting reversible switching between high and low resistance states and these two states correspond to 1 and 0 states of the devices. Another requirement for such devices is to avoid the leakage current for which high dielectric materials are more suitable and higher dielectric constant of ZnO favors its candidature for resistive memory device applications.…”