Bipolar resistive switching characteristics of silicon carbide nitride (SiCN)-based devices for nonvolatile memory applications

The present study reports silicon carbide nitride (SiCN) as a new material for resistive switching-based nonvolatile memory device applications. The Cu/SiCN/Pt device exhibit uniform and stable bipolar resistive switching behavior. A thorough current-voltage (I-V) analysis suggests an Ohmic conduction mechanism within the low resistance state (LRS), whereas within the high resistance state (HRS) trap-controlled modified space charge limited conduction (SCLC) mechanism was found to be dominated. The resistance vs. temperature measurement (R-T curve) within LRS and HRS along with a model analysis indicates an interesting result that the formation of conduction path during LRS is not due to Cu filament but may be formed by trap-to-trap hopping of electrons via nitride-related traps between the top and bottom electrodes. The resistive switching in Cu/SiCN/Pt device was operated via electron transport path formation/rupture by electron trapping/de-trapping. The reliability of device was measured in terms of endurance and retention, which exhibits good endurance over 105 cycles and long retention time of 104 s at room-temperature as well as at 200 °C. The above result suggests the feasibility of Cu/SiCN/Pt devices for futuristic nonvolatile memory application at high temperature and harsh environment.