title: Resistance Switching Characteristics Induced by O2Plasma Treatment of an Indium Tin Oxide Film for Use as an Insulator in Resistive Random Access Memory.
abstract: In this study, an O2inductively coupled plasma (ICP) treatment was developed in order to modify the characteristics of indium tin oxide (ITO) film for use as an insulator in resistive random access memory (RRAM). After the O2plasma treatment, the previously conductive ITO film is oxidized and becomes less conductive. In addition, after capping the same ITO material for use as a top electrode, we found that the ITO/ITO(O2plasma)/TiN device exhibits very stable and robust resistive switching characteristics. On the contrary, the nontreated ITO film for use as an insulator in the ITO/ITO/TiN device cannot perform resistance switching behaviors. The material analysis initially investigated the ITO film characteristics with and without O2plasma treatment. The surface was less rough after O2plasma treatment. However, the molar concentration of each element and measured sheet resistance results for the O2-plasma-treated ITO film were dramatically modified. Next, electrical measurements were carried out to examine the resistance switching stability under continuous DC and AC operation in this ITO/ITO(O2plasma)/TiN device. Reliability tests, including endurance and retention, also proved its capability for use in data storage applications. In addition to these electrical measurements, current fitting method experiments at different temperatures were performed to examine and confirm the resistance switching mechanisms. This easily fabricated device, using a simple material combination, achieves excellent performance by using ITO with an O2plasma treatment and can further the abilities of RRAM for use in remarkable potential applications.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, National Sun Yat-Sen University , Kaohsiung 804, Taiwan R. O. C.
authors.forename: Po-Hsun
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5223-793X
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, National Sun Yat-Sen University , Kaohsiung 804, Taiwan R. O. C.|Advanced Optoelectronics Technology Center, National Cheng Kung University , Tainan 701, Taiwan R. O. C.
authors.forename: Ting-Chang
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5301-6693
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials and Optoelectronic Science, National Sun Yat-Sen University , Kaohsiung 804, Taiwan R. O. C.|Institute of Microelectronics, Tsinghua University , Beijing 100084, China.
authors.forename: Kuan-Chang
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials and Optoelectronic Science, National Sun Yat-Sen University , Kaohsiung 804, Taiwan R. O. C.
authors.forename: Tsung-Ming
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials and Optoelectronic Science, National Sun Yat-Sen University , Kaohsiung 804, Taiwan R. O. C.
authors.forename: Chih-Hung
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, National Sun Yat-Sen University , Kaohsiung 804, Taiwan R. O. C.
authors.forename: Min-Chen
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, National Sun Yat-Sen University , Kaohsiung 804, Taiwan R. O. C.
authors.forename: Yu-Ting
authors.initials: YT
authors.lastname: Su
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, National Sun Yat-Sen University , Kaohsiung 804, Taiwan R. O. C.
authors.forename: Chih-Yang
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, National Sun Yat-Sen University , Kaohsiung 804, Taiwan R. O. C.
authors.forename: Yi-Ting
authors.initials: YT
authors.lastname: Tseng
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials and Optoelectronic Science, National Sun Yat-Sen University , Kaohsiung 804, Taiwan R. O. C.
authors.forename: Hui-Chun
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Institute of Microelectronics, Tsinghua University , Beijing 100084, China.
authors.forename: Huaqiang
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Institute of Microelectronics, Tsinghua University , Beijing 100084, China.
authors.forename: Ning
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Deng
authors.affiliation: Institute of Microelectronics, Tsinghua University , Beijing 100084, China.
authors.forename: He
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Qian
authors.affiliation: Department of Electronics Engineering and Institute of Electronics, National Chiao Tung University , Hsinchu 300, Taiwan R. O. C.
authors.forename: Simon M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Sze
keywords: indium tin oxide (ITO); inductively coupled plasma (ICP); insulator; oxygen gas (O2); resistive random access memory (RRAM); self-compliance current