Stabilized resistive switching memory

• US 7,639,523 B2
• Filed: 11/08/2007
• Issued: 12/29/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Symetrix Memory, LLC
• Original Assignee: Symetrix Corporation
• Inventors: Paz de Araujo, Carlos A., Celinska, Jolanta, Brubaker, Matthew D.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TAN
• Application Number:
  US11/937,480
• Publication Number:
  US 20080106927A1
• Time in Patent Office: 782 Days
• Field of Search: 365/159
• US Class Current: 365/148
• CPC Class Codes: H10B 63/30 comprising selection components having three or more electrodes, e.g. transistors
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 70/021 Formation of the switching material, e.g. layer deposition
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 70/023 by chemical vapor deposition, e.g. MOCVD, ALD
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 70/041 Modification of the switching material, e.g. post-treatment, doping
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 70/20 Multistable switching devices, e.g. memristors
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 70/826 adapted for essentially vertical current flow, e.g. sandwich or pillar type devices
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 70/8833 Binary metal oxides, e.g. TaOx

Abstract

A non-volatile resistive switching memory that includes a material which changes between the insulative and conductive states. The material is stabilized against charge trapping by oxygen vacancies by an extrinsic ligand, such as carbon.

Claims

1. A resistive switching integrated circuit memory comprising:

a resistive switching memory cell including a resistive switching material comprising a transition metal compound containing an extrinsic ligand, wherein said extrinsic ligand comprises carbon, a carbon compound, or ammonia;

a write circuit for placing said resistive switching memory cell in a first resistive state or a second resistive state depending on information input into said memory, wherein the resistance of said resistance switching material is higher in said second resistance state than in said first resistance state; and

a read circuit for sensing the state of said memory cell and providing an electrical signal corresponding to the sensed state of said memory cell.

2. A resistive switching memory as in claim 1 wherein said transition metal compound is a transition metal oxide.

3. A resistive switching memory as in claim 1 wherein said resistive switching material is capable of being read 10⁸ times with less than 50% fatigue.

4. A resistive switching memory as in claim 1 wherein said resistive switching material is capable of being read 10⁸ times with less than 30% fatigue.

5. A resistive switching memory as in claim 1 wherein said resistive switching material is capable of being read 10⁸ times with less than 20% fatigue.

6. A resistive switching memory as in claim 1 wherein said resistive switching material has a memory window that changes less than 50% over a temperature range of from minus 50°

C. to 75°

C.

7. A resistive switching memory as in claim 1 wherein said resistive switching material has a memory window that changes less than 35% over a temperature range of from minus 50C. to 75°

C.

8. A resistive switching memory as in claim 1 wherein said resistive switching material has a memory window that changes less than 25% over a temperature range of from minus 50°

C. to 75°

C.

9. A resistive switching memory as in claim 1 wherein said resistive switching material comprises a material selected from the group consisting of aluminum, cadmium, chromium, cobalt, copper, gold, iron, manganese, mercury, molybdenum, nickel, palladium, rhenium, ruthenium, silver, tin, titanium, vanadium, zinc, and a combination of these materials.

10. A resistive switching memory as in claim 1 wherein said extrinsic ligand further comprises one or more elements selected from the group consisting of oxygen, hydrogen, fluorine, nitrogen, chlorine, bromine, sulphur, and iodine.

11. A resistive switching integrated circuit memory comprising:

a resistive switching memory cell including a resistive switching material comprising a transition metal and carbon;

a write circuit for placing said resistive switching memory cell in a first resistive state or a second resistive state depending on information input into said memory, wherein the resistance of said resistance switching material is higher in said second resistance state than in said first resistance state; and

a read circuit for sensing the state of said memory cell and providing an electrical signal corresponding to the sensed state of said memory cell.

12. A resistive switching memory as in claim 11 wherein said resistive switching material comprises a transition metal compound containing carbon.