Interface Engineering In Resistive Switching Memories

Electric-induced resistive switching effects have attracted wide attention for future nonvolatile memory applications known as resistive random access memory (RRAM). RRAM is one of the promising candidates because of its excellent properties including simple device structure, high operation speed, low power consumption and high density integration. The RRAM devices primarily utilize different resistance values to store the digital data and can keep the resistance state without any power. Recent advances in the understanding of the resistive switching mechanism are described by a thermal or electrochemical redox reaction near the interface between the oxide and the active metal electrode. This paper reviews the ongoing research and development activities on the interface engineering of the RRAM devices. The possible switching mechanisms for the bistable resistive switching are described. The effects of formation, composition and thickness of the interface layer on the resistive switching characteristics and consequently the memory performance are also discussed.