Enhanced non-volatile resistive switching performance through ion-assisted magnetron sputtering of TiN bottom electrodes
Abstract Emerging non-volatile memristor-based devices with resistive switching (RS) materials are being widely researched as promising contenders for the next generation of data storage and neuromorphic technologies. Titanium nitride (TiNx) is a common industry-friendly electrode system for RS; how...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Nature Portfolio
2025-04-01
|
| Series: | Communications Materials |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s43246-025-00798-z |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1850277832937177088 |
|---|---|
| author | Babak Bakhit Markus Hellenbrand Benson Kunhung Tsai Abhijeet Choudhury Peter Polcik Szilard Kolozsvari Haiyan Wang Andrew J. Flewitt Judith L. MacManus-Driscoll |
| author_facet | Babak Bakhit Markus Hellenbrand Benson Kunhung Tsai Abhijeet Choudhury Peter Polcik Szilard Kolozsvari Haiyan Wang Andrew J. Flewitt Judith L. MacManus-Driscoll |
| author_sort | Babak Bakhit |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Emerging non-volatile memristor-based devices with resistive switching (RS) materials are being widely researched as promising contenders for the next generation of data storage and neuromorphic technologies. Titanium nitride (TiNx) is a common industry-friendly electrode system for RS; however, the precise TiNx properties required for optimum RS performance is still lacking. Herein, using ion-assisted DC magnetron sputtering, we demonstrate the key importance not only of engineering the TiNx bottom electrodes to be dense, smooth, and conductive, but also understoichiometric in N. With these properties, RS in HfO2-based memristive devices is shown to be optimised for TiN0.96. These devices have switching voltages ≤ ±1 V with promising device-to-device uniformity, endurance, memory window of ~40, and multiple non-volatile intermediate conductance levels. This study highlights the importance of precise tuning of TiNx bottom electrodes to achieve robust performance of oxide resistive switching materials. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-b2eda5bb8d8240f1b9f9c8ab40bc3f81 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2662-4443 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Communications Materials |
| spelling | doaj-art-b2eda5bb8d8240f1b9f9c8ab40bc3f812025-08-20T01:49:43ZengNature PortfolioCommunications Materials2662-44432025-04-01611810.1038/s43246-025-00798-zEnhanced non-volatile resistive switching performance through ion-assisted magnetron sputtering of TiN bottom electrodesBabak Bakhit0Markus Hellenbrand1Benson Kunhung Tsai2Abhijeet Choudhury3Peter Polcik4Szilard Kolozsvari5Haiyan Wang6Andrew J. Flewitt7Judith L. MacManus-Driscoll8Department of Materials Science and Metallurgy, University of CambridgeDepartment of Materials Science and Metallurgy, University of CambridgeSchool of Materials Engineering, Neil Armstrong Hall of Engineering, Purdue UniversitySchool of Materials Engineering, Neil Armstrong Hall of Engineering, Purdue UniversityPlansee Composite Materials GmbHPlansee Composite Materials GmbHSchool of Materials Engineering, Neil Armstrong Hall of Engineering, Purdue UniversityElectrical Engineering Division, Department of Engineering, University of CambridgeDepartment of Materials Science and Metallurgy, University of CambridgeAbstract Emerging non-volatile memristor-based devices with resistive switching (RS) materials are being widely researched as promising contenders for the next generation of data storage and neuromorphic technologies. Titanium nitride (TiNx) is a common industry-friendly electrode system for RS; however, the precise TiNx properties required for optimum RS performance is still lacking. Herein, using ion-assisted DC magnetron sputtering, we demonstrate the key importance not only of engineering the TiNx bottom electrodes to be dense, smooth, and conductive, but also understoichiometric in N. With these properties, RS in HfO2-based memristive devices is shown to be optimised for TiN0.96. These devices have switching voltages ≤ ±1 V with promising device-to-device uniformity, endurance, memory window of ~40, and multiple non-volatile intermediate conductance levels. This study highlights the importance of precise tuning of TiNx bottom electrodes to achieve robust performance of oxide resistive switching materials.https://doi.org/10.1038/s43246-025-00798-z |
| spellingShingle | Babak Bakhit Markus Hellenbrand Benson Kunhung Tsai Abhijeet Choudhury Peter Polcik Szilard Kolozsvari Haiyan Wang Andrew J. Flewitt Judith L. MacManus-Driscoll Enhanced non-volatile resistive switching performance through ion-assisted magnetron sputtering of TiN bottom electrodes Communications Materials |
| title | Enhanced non-volatile resistive switching performance through ion-assisted magnetron sputtering of TiN bottom electrodes |
| title_full | Enhanced non-volatile resistive switching performance through ion-assisted magnetron sputtering of TiN bottom electrodes |
| title_fullStr | Enhanced non-volatile resistive switching performance through ion-assisted magnetron sputtering of TiN bottom electrodes |
| title_full_unstemmed | Enhanced non-volatile resistive switching performance through ion-assisted magnetron sputtering of TiN bottom electrodes |
| title_short | Enhanced non-volatile resistive switching performance through ion-assisted magnetron sputtering of TiN bottom electrodes |
| title_sort | enhanced non volatile resistive switching performance through ion assisted magnetron sputtering of tin bottom electrodes |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s43246-025-00798-z |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT babakbakhit enhancednonvolatileresistiveswitchingperformancethroughionassistedmagnetronsputteringoftinbottomelectrodes AT markushellenbrand enhancednonvolatileresistiveswitchingperformancethroughionassistedmagnetronsputteringoftinbottomelectrodes AT bensonkunhungtsai enhancednonvolatileresistiveswitchingperformancethroughionassistedmagnetronsputteringoftinbottomelectrodes AT abhijeetchoudhury enhancednonvolatileresistiveswitchingperformancethroughionassistedmagnetronsputteringoftinbottomelectrodes AT peterpolcik enhancednonvolatileresistiveswitchingperformancethroughionassistedmagnetronsputteringoftinbottomelectrodes AT szilardkolozsvari enhancednonvolatileresistiveswitchingperformancethroughionassistedmagnetronsputteringoftinbottomelectrodes AT haiyanwang enhancednonvolatileresistiveswitchingperformancethroughionassistedmagnetronsputteringoftinbottomelectrodes AT andrewjflewitt enhancednonvolatileresistiveswitchingperformancethroughionassistedmagnetronsputteringoftinbottomelectrodes AT judithlmacmanusdriscoll enhancednonvolatileresistiveswitchingperformancethroughionassistedmagnetronsputteringoftinbottomelectrodes |