Improved reliability of Ti/ZrN/Pt resistive switching memory cells using hydrogen postannealing

Abstract

The authors investigated the effects of hydrogen postannealing on data retention and set/reset current variation in a Ti/ZrN/Pt resistive switching memory cell. Annealing the Ti/ZrN/Pt sample in a N-2+H-2 ambient gas versus a N-2 ambient gas reduced the set currents from 10.4 to 4.1 mA and the reset currents from 1.2 to 0.2 mu A, whereas the current ratio increased from similar to 9 x 10(3) to similar to 2 x 10(4). In addition, current variations in the set and reset states decrease at temperatures of 25 and 85 degrees C (>10yr) due to reduction of the interface trap by hydrogen passivation effects. (C) 2013 American Vacuum Society.