Published online by Cambridge University Press: 07 June 2012
The resistive switching properties of CMOS compatible TiN/HfO2/TiN resistive-random-access-memory (ReRAM) devices have been investigated after exposure to 1 MeV proton radiation. The HfO2-based ReRAM devices were found to have high total-ionizing-dose (TID) radiation tolerance up to 5 Grad(Si). TiN/HfO2/TiN ReRAM performance parameters include high-resistance state (HRS) resistance, low-resistance state (LRS) resistance, set and reset voltages. HfO2-based ReRAM devices exhibited no degradation in these performance parameters following proton irradiation exposure with TID from 105 to 109 rad(Si). Furthermore, the HfO2-based ReRAM devices exhibited more uniform resistive switching behavior with increased TID. Based on this radiation response it is proposed that the resistive switching mechanism in TiN/HfO2/TiN – trap-assisted tunneling associated with Hf-rich conducting filament formation – may be reinforced through proton exposure which acts to stabilize the formation/rupture of Hf-rich filaments. The high radiation tolerance of HfO2-based ReRAM devices suggests such devices may be potentially attractive for aerospace and nuclear applications.