Low-voltage ultrafast nonvolatile memory via direct charge injection through a threshold resistive-switching layer

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Electrical Engineering
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Massive data processing demands memory technologies with high speed, long retention, high capacity, and low energy consumption.
• Existing ultrafast floating-gate memories require high operating voltages (tens of volts) due to Fowler-Nordheim tunneling.
• Achieving ultrafast nonvolatile storage with low operating voltage remains a significant challenge.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose and demonstrate a novel floating-gate memory structure enabling ultrafast, low-voltage, nonvolatile data storage.
• To overcome the limitations of conventional floating-gate memories regarding operating voltage and energy consumption.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a floating-gate memory device with a MoS₂/hBN/MoS₂/graphdiyne oxide/WSe₂ structure.
• Utilizing graphdiyne oxide as a threshold switching layer to facilitate charge injection.
• Employing nanosecond voltage pulses (20 ns, 2 V) for charge injection and evaluating retention characteristics.

Main Results:

• Demonstrated direct charge injection from the control gate to the floating gate using a low-magnitude, nanosecond voltage pulse.
• Achieved long-term charge retention (10 years) in the floating gate after the voltage pulse.
• The device exhibited ultralow energy consumption of 10 fJ due to high operating speed and low voltage.

Conclusions:

• The proposed floating-gate memory utilizing graphdiyne oxide as a threshold switching layer offers a new strategy for next-generation memory devices.
• This approach successfully addresses the challenge of achieving high-speed, low-voltage, nonvolatile memory with significantly reduced energy consumption.
• The device shows potential for revolutionizing data storage and processing technologies.