Atomic structure of conducting nanofilaments in TiO2 resistive switching memory

Deok Hwang Kwon; Kyung Min Kim; Jae Hyuck Jang; Jong Myeong Jeon; Min Hwan Lee; Gun Hwan Kim; Xiang Shu Li; Gyeong Su Park; Bora Lee; Seungwu Han; Miyoung Kim; Cheol Seong Hwang

doi:10.1038/nnano.2009.456

Atomic structure of conducting nanofilaments in TiO₂ resistive switching memory

Deok Hwang Kwon, Kyung Min Kim, Jae Hyuck Jang, Jong Myeong Jeon, Min Hwan Lee, Gun Hwan Kim, Xiang Shu Li, Gyeong Su Park, Bora Lee, Seungwu Han, Miyoung Kim, Cheol Seong Hwang

School of System & Semiconductor Engineering

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Resistance switching in metal oxides could form the basis for next-generation non-volatile memory. It has been argued that the current in the high-conductivity state of several technologically relevant oxide materials flows through localized filaments, but these filaments have been characterized only indirectly, limiting our understanding of the switching mechanism. Here, we use high-resolution transmission electron microscopy to probe directly the nanofilaments in a Pt/TiO₂/Pt system during resistive switching. In situ current-voltage and low-temperature (∼130 K) conductivity measurements confirm that switching occurs by the formation and disruption of Ti _nO_2n-1 (or so-called Magnéli phase) filaments. Knowledge of the composition, structure and dimensions of these filaments will provide a foundation for unravelling the full mechanism of resistance switching in oxide thin films, and help guide research into the stability and scalability of such films for applications.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	148-153
Number of pages	6
Journal	Nature Nanotechnology
Volume	5
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/nnano.2009.456
Publication status	Published - 2010 Feb

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
This work was supported by National Research Foundation of Korea grant funded by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (2009-0083038) and MEST-AFOSR NBIT Program. C.S.H., K.M.K., M.H.L. and K.H.K. acknowledge support by the National Program for 0.1 Terabit NVM Devices of the Korean Government, the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) funded by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (grant no. 2009-0081961), and World Class University program through the Korea Science and Engineering Foundation funded by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (grant no. R31-2008-000-10075-0). B.L. and S.H. were supported by the Quantum Metamaterials Research Center (grant no. R11-2008-053-03001-0).

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

Bioengineering
Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics
Biomedical Engineering
Materials Science(all)
Condensed Matter Physics
Electrical and Electronic Engineering

Access to Document

10.1038/nnano.2009.456

Cite this

@article{812b09f55dd2414db86f8d965dfb125b,

title = "Atomic structure of conducting nanofilaments in TiO2 resistive switching memory",

abstract = "Resistance switching in metal oxides could form the basis for next-generation non-volatile memory. It has been argued that the current in the high-conductivity state of several technologically relevant oxide materials flows through localized filaments, but these filaments have been characterized only indirectly, limiting our understanding of the switching mechanism. Here, we use high-resolution transmission electron microscopy to probe directly the nanofilaments in a Pt/TiO2/Pt system during resistive switching. In situ current-voltage and low-temperature (∼130 K) conductivity measurements confirm that switching occurs by the formation and disruption of Ti nO2n-1 (or so-called Magn{\'e}li phase) filaments. Knowledge of the composition, structure and dimensions of these filaments will provide a foundation for unravelling the full mechanism of resistance switching in oxide thin films, and help guide research into the stability and scalability of such films for applications.",

author = "Kwon, {Deok Hwang} and Kim, {Kyung Min} and Jang, {Jae Hyuck} and Jeon, {Jong Myeong} and Lee, {Min Hwan} and Kim, {Gun Hwan} and Li, {Xiang Shu} and Park, {Gyeong Su} and Bora Lee and Seungwu Han and Miyoung Kim and Hwang, {Cheol Seong}",

note = "Funding Information: This work was supported by National Research Foundation of Korea grant funded by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (2009-0083038) and MEST-AFOSR NBIT Program. C.S.H., K.M.K., M.H.L. and K.H.K. acknowledge support by the National Program for 0.1 Terabit NVM Devices of the Korean Government, the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) funded by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (grant no. 2009-0081961), and World Class University program through the Korea Science and Engineering Foundation funded by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (grant no. R31-2008-000-10075-0). B.L. and S.H. were supported by the Quantum Metamaterials Research Center (grant no. R11-2008-053-03001-0).",

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doi = "10.1038/nnano.2009.456",

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AU - Kwon, Deok Hwang

AU - Kim, Kyung Min

AU - Jang, Jae Hyuck

AU - Jeon, Jong Myeong

AU - Lee, Min Hwan

AU - Kim, Gun Hwan

AU - Li, Xiang Shu

AU - Park, Gyeong Su

AU - Lee, Bora

AU - Han, Seungwu

AU - Kim, Miyoung

AU - Hwang, Cheol Seong

N1 - Funding Information: This work was supported by National Research Foundation of Korea grant funded by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (2009-0083038) and MEST-AFOSR NBIT Program. C.S.H., K.M.K., M.H.L. and K.H.K. acknowledge support by the National Program for 0.1 Terabit NVM Devices of the Korean Government, the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) funded by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (grant no. 2009-0081961), and World Class University program through the Korea Science and Engineering Foundation funded by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (grant no. R31-2008-000-10075-0). B.L. and S.H. were supported by the Quantum Metamaterials Research Center (grant no. R11-2008-053-03001-0).

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N2 - Resistance switching in metal oxides could form the basis for next-generation non-volatile memory. It has been argued that the current in the high-conductivity state of several technologically relevant oxide materials flows through localized filaments, but these filaments have been characterized only indirectly, limiting our understanding of the switching mechanism. Here, we use high-resolution transmission electron microscopy to probe directly the nanofilaments in a Pt/TiO2/Pt system during resistive switching. In situ current-voltage and low-temperature (∼130 K) conductivity measurements confirm that switching occurs by the formation and disruption of Ti nO2n-1 (or so-called Magnéli phase) filaments. Knowledge of the composition, structure and dimensions of these filaments will provide a foundation for unravelling the full mechanism of resistance switching in oxide thin films, and help guide research into the stability and scalability of such films for applications.

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