Electroforming-Free TaOx Memristors using Focused Ion Beam Irradiations

TL;DR

This paper presents a novel method to fabricate electroforming-free TaOx memristors using focused ion beam irradiation, enabling direct creation of functional devices without electroforming, compatible with CMOS processes.

Contribution

The study introduces a focused ion beam technique for creating fully functional, electroforming-free TaOx memristors, advancing wafer-level fabrication methods.

Findings

Ion beam irradiation directly forms operational memristors.

The method eliminates the electroforming step.

Compatible with CMOS fabrication processes.

Abstract

We demonstrate creation of electroforming-free TaOx memristive devices using focused ion beam irradiations to locally define conductive filaments in TaOx films. Electrical characterization shows that these irradiations directly create fully functional memristors without the need for electroforming. Ion beam forming of conductive filaments combined with state-of-the-art nano-patterning presents a CMOS compatible approach to wafer level fabrication of fully formed and operational memristors.