Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 8, 2026
In Situ Transmission Electron Microscopy with Biasing and Fabrication of Asymmetric Crossbars Based on Mixed-Phased a-VOx
Published on: May 13, 2020
Atomic Layer Deposited Oxide-Based Nanocomposite Structures with Embedded CoPtx Nanocrystals for Resistive Random
Lai-Guo Wang1,2, Zheng-Yi Cao1, Xu Qian1
1National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures and Department of Materials Science and Engineering, College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, Nanjing University , Nanjing 210093, P. R. China.
Nanocomposite structures with embedded cobalt-platinum (CoPt$_{x}$) nanocrystals demonstrate improved resistive random-access memory (RRAM) performance. These advanced materials offer enhanced reliability, endurance, and data retention for next-generation electronic devices.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Nanotechnology
- Electrical Engineering
Background:
- Resistive random-access memory (RRAM) is a promising non-volatile memory technology.
- Developing advanced materials with improved switching characteristics is crucial for RRAM applications.
- Nanocomposite structures offer tunable properties for electronic devices.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of embedded cobalt-platinum (CoPt$_{x}$) nanocrystals (NCs) in Al$_{2}$O$_{3}$ or HfO$_{2}$ matrices on RRAM performance.
- To explore the influence of CoPt$_{x}$ NC size and density on resistive switching properties.
- To elucidate the resistive switching mechanism in these nanocomposite structures.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of Al$_{2}$O$_{3}$- or HfO$_{2}$-based nanocomposite structures with CoPt$_{x}$ NCs using thermal atomic layer deposition (ALD) and plasma-enhanced ALD (PEALD).
- Integration of these structures onto TiN-coated Si substrates.
- Characterization of resistive switching behavior, including endurance and data retention.
Main Results:
- The CoPt$_{x}$ NC-embedded RRAM devices exhibited typical bipolar, reliable, and reproducible resistive switching.
- Significant improvements were observed compared to control samples: sharper parameter distribution, lower set/reset voltages, stable resistance ratio (≥10$^{2}$), enhanced endurance (10$^{4}$ cycles), and longer data retention (>10$^{5}$ s).
- The dominant conduction mechanisms were identified as Ohmic behavior (low resistance state) and space-charge-limited current (high resistance state), with CoPt$_{x}$ NCs enhancing electric field intensity for filament formation.
Conclusions:
- Embedded CoPt$_{x}$ NCs effectively enhance the resistive switching performance of ALD-fabricated oxide-based RRAM devices.
- The nanocomposite structures provide a flexible pathway for multifunctional electronic devices, combining RRAM capabilities with ferromagnetic properties.
- This approach is compatible with state-of-the-art Si-based technology, paving the way for advanced memory and electronic applications.
