The Effect of Al and Ni Top Electrodes in Resistive Switching Behaviors of Yb2O3-Based Memory Cells

Abstract

In this letter, the effect of Al and Ni top electrodes in resistive switching behavior of Al/Yb2O3/TaN and Ni/Yb2O3/TaN memory devices is proposed. The Al/Yb2O3/TaN memory device demonstrates no such switching performance as applying bias on both top and bottom electrodes, whereas the Ni/Yb2O3/TaN reveals the bipolar memory switching behavior with a high resistance ratio of 10(4) for over 200 cycles of switching responses and good data retention with memory window of about 10(5) at 85 degrees C, as extrapolated up to 10 years. The resistance switching dynamic is ascribed to the conductivity modulation by oxygen ions/vacancies controlled electrochemical reaction process in the Yb2O3 switching layer. (C) 2012 The Electrochemical Society. [DOI: 10.1149/2.005202ssl] All rights reserved.