Improvement of resistance switching characteristics in a thin FeO(x) transition layer of TiN/SiO(2)/FeO(x)/FePt structure by rapid annealing

Abstract

In this paper, the influence of a 600 degrees C rapid thermal annealing for 60 s on the improvements of resistance switching behaviors in a TiN/SiO(2)/FeO(x)/FePt structure is reported. It is found that besides the distinct reduction in memory switching parameters in forming voltage, set/reset voltages, and their dispersions, the resistance ratio of high-resistance state to low-resistance state is also enlarged after annealing. The effects of annealing on improving the resistance switching properties are discussed by x-ray diffraction and x-ray photon-emission spectra depth profile results. Additionally, good retention characteristics are exhibited in the annealed TiN/SiO(2)/FeO(x)/FePt resistance switching memory. (C) 2010 American Institute of Physics. [doi:10.1063/1.3428777]