Nanoscale Phase Change Memory with Graphene Ribbon Electrodes

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates low-power phase change memory devices using graphene ribbon electrodes, achieving low threshold voltages and currents, and explores large-scale fabrication and variability of such nanomaterials.

Contribution

It introduces two types of graphene-based PCM devices with ultra-scaled electrodes, showing improved power efficiency and potential for large-scale integration.

Findings

Threshold voltages as low as ~3 V

Programming currents below 1 μA (SET) and 10 μA (RESET)

High ON/OFF ratio >100

Abstract

Phase change memory (PCM) devices are known to reduce in power consumption as the bit volume and contact area of their electrodes are scaled down. Here, we demonstrate two types of low-power PCM devices with lateral graphene ribbon electrodes: one in which the graphene is patterned into narrow nanoribbons and the other where the phase change material is patterned into nanoribbons. The sharp graphene "edge" contacts enable switching with threshold voltages as low as ~3 V, low programming currents (<1 {\mu}A SET, <10 {\mu}A RESET) and ON/OFF ratios >100. Large-scale fabrication with graphene grown by chemical vapor deposition also enables the study of heterogeneous integration and that of variability for such nanomaterials and devices.