Multilevel bipolar electroforming-free resistive switching memory based on silicon oxynitride

Abstract

Resistive random-access memory (RRAM) devices are fabricated by utilizing silicon oxynitride (SiOxNy) thin film as a resistive switching layer. A SiOxNy layer is deposited on a p+-Si substrate and capped with a top electrode consisting of Au/Ni. The SiOxNy-based memory device demonstrates bipolar multilevel operation. It can switch interchangeably between all resistance states, including direct SET switching from a high-resistance state (HRS) to an intermediate-resistance state (IRS) or low-resistance state (LRS), direct RESET switching process from LRS to IRS or HRS, and SET/RESET switching from IRS to LRS or HRS by controlling the magnitude of the applied write voltage signal. The device also shows electroforming-free ternary nonvolatile resistive switching characteristics having RHRS/RIRS > 10, RIRS/RLRS > 5, RHRS/RLRS > 103, and retention over 1.8 x 104 s. The resistive switching mechanism in the devices is found to be combinatory processes of hopping conduction by charge trapping/detrapping in the bulk SiOxNy layer and filamentary switching mode at the interface between the SiOxNy and Ni layers.