Effect of Work Function Difference Between Top and Bottom Electrodes on the Resistive Switching Properties of SiN Films

In this letter, the effect of the work function difference between various top electrodes (TE-Ni, W, Ti, and Al) and the Pt bottom electrode, ΔΦ_M, on the resistive switching (RS) of SiN thin films was investigated. The cells with W and Ti TEs showed stable RS, but others failed to show RS. In particular, the Ti TE exhibited low operating currents (~2 μA) and good retention properties (<; ~104 s at 85 °C). On the basis of the analysis of conduction mechanisms, it is found that stable RS of SiN films might be strongly related to the activation energy of traps induced by ΔΦ_M. Thus, the RS properties of the SiN films can be improved by engineering ΔΦ_M without additional processes.