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Electroforming Kinetics in HfOx/Ti RRAM: Mechanisms behind Compositional and Thermal Engineering
Manasa Kaniselvan1, Kevin Portner1, Donato Francesco Falcone2
1Integrated Systems Laboratory, Department of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering, ETH Zürich, CH-8092 Zürich, Switzerland.
ACS Nano
|July 18, 2025
Summary
Reducing high electroforming voltages in resistive random access memory (RRAM) is crucial for CMOS compatibility. This study uses atomistic simulations and experiments to reveal how material stoichiometry and thermal engineering influence conductive filament growth in HfOₓ/Ti RRAM.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Solid-State Electronics
- Computational Physics
Background:
- High electroforming voltages in filamentary resistive random access memory (RRAM) hinder integration with complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) technologies.
- Previous research indicated that initial material stoichiometry and thermal engineering affect electroforming voltage, but underlying mechanisms were unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To elucidate the mechanisms governing electroforming voltage reduction in HfOₓ/Ti RRAM stacks.
- To link atomistic simulation insights with experimental data for a comprehensive understanding.
Main Methods:
- Atomistic driven kinetic Monte Carlo (d-KMC) simulations at the device scale.
- Modeling point defect movement under applied bias in inhomogeneous materials.
- Combining simulation results with experimental data from HfOₓ/Ti RRAM devices.
Main Results:
- Identified a shift from vertical to lateral ion movement in substoichiometric oxides during filament growth.
- Differentiated the effects of global versus local heating on filament morphology.
- Linked filament structure to the dynamic range of RRAM devices during SET/RESET operations.
Conclusions:
- Unified understanding of ion dynamics in HfOₓ/Ti RRAM stacks.
- Provided fabrication guidelines for optimizing RRAM devices by controlling electroforming conditions.
