Band and Field Coengineered Charge Trap Memristor via Au Nanoparticle Layer for Programming Speed Enhancement

Charge trap memristors (CTM) are promising candidates for nonvolatile analog units in crossbar array platforms, offering a pathway to next-generation high-density memory and synaptic arrays, due to their low-current operation and self-rectifying characteristics. However, the charge trapping process is inherently slow, posing a significant challenge to achieving high-speed operation. In this study, a CTM device incorporating a gold nanoparticle (Au NP) layer, referred to as NP-CTM, is proposed. This design improves programming speed by a factor of ≈47.6, while maintaining excellent stability and retention characteristics. These enhancements are attributed to the synergistic effects of enhanced electric fields and an engineered band structure, both achieved through the physical structure and material properties of Au NPs. The findings are validated through multiphysics-based simulations and conduction band model analyses. The improved speed and the resulting reduction in programming energy of the CTM device make it a promising candidate for large-scale applications.