Role of tantalum nitride as active top electrode in electroforming-free bipolar resistive switching behavior of cerium oxide-based memory cells

Abstract Electroforming-free cerium oxide-based bipolar resistive switching memory devices have been deposited using radio frequency magnetron sputtering technique. These devices demonstrate two types of forming-free cells: some in the low-resistance state and the others in high-resistance state. The transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction analyses illustrate the formation of tantalum oxynitride layer between tantalum nitride (TaN) and cerium oxide (CeO x ), which looks to be responsible for the two types of cells as well as their memory performance. Ohmic and Poole–Frenkel conduction mechanisms are found to be responsible for charge transport in the low- and high-resistance states. The current–voltage characteristics and temperature dependence of resistance suggest that resistive switching mechanism in our TaN/CeO x /Pt devices may be explained by the model of connection and disconnection of filamentary paths made of oxygen vacancies. The reliability characteristics of TaN/CeO x /Pt devices indicate better endurance and stable retention performance at relatively lower programming voltages and larger memory window (OFF/ON resistance ratio ~ 10 3 ) at room temperature and at 100 °C.