A novel conducting bridge resistive memory using a semiconducting dynamic E-field moderating layer

Conducting bridge resistive memory switches by forming and disrupting a thin conducting filament, but this causes high E-field in the insulator just before the filament is completed (or begins to disrupt). This paper addresses, for the first time, degradation caused by this high E-field and a novel solution is proposed. A p-type CuO_x semiconductor layer is added as an E-field moderator that dynamically reduces the E-field. Without the proposed moderator the E-field becomes > 10MV/cm when the gap between the conduction filament and the top electrode becomes <; 1nm. The insulator in this gap remains conductive from the defects generated from the high E-field and this leakage reduces the resistance window. The proposed E-field moderating CuO_x layer at the Cu-GST/SiO₂ interface not only eliminates this issue but also serves as a Cu back-diffusion barrier, both greatly improve the device performance.