Complementary Resistive Switching in Tantalum Oxide-Based Resistive Memory Devices

TL;DR

This paper reports a novel tantalum-oxide resistive memory device that achieves complementary resistive switching within a single cell, addressing the sneak path problem in large-scale resistive memory arrays.

Contribution

It introduces a single-cell CRS device based on tantalum oxide with unique switching behavior explained by oxygen vacancy redistribution.

Findings

Achieves complementary switching within a single memory cell

Switching polarity reversal observed in different voltage regimes

Oxygen vacancy redistribution explains switching mechanisms

Abstract

Complementary resistive switches (CRS) are considered as a potential solution for the sneak path problem in large-scale integration of passive crossbar resistive memory arrays. A typical CRS is composed of two bipolar memory cells that are connected anti-serially. Here we report a tantalum-oxide based resistive memory that achieves the complementary switching functionality within a single memory cell. The complementary switching effect is accompanied by switching polarity reversal in different voltage bias regimes. These effects were explained by the redistribution of oxygen vacancies inside the tantalum-oxide layers. The effects of symmetry breaking on bipolar switching and complementary switching were also discussed.