Current conduction mechanism of nitrogen-doped AlO_x RRAM

To eliminate the forming process in resistive random access memory (RRAM), we introduced nitrogen into AlOx layer to generate a moderate amount of traps inside the film. The composition of nitrogen-doped AlOx (N-AlOx) RRAM is revealed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction analyses. To understand the current conduction mechanism of N-AlOx RRAM, we investigated field and temperature dependence of the charge transport. Based on the extracted trap levels of high-resistance state and various low-resistance states, the current conduction is found to be governed by Frenkel-Poole emission. An energy band model is also proposed to clarify the current conduction mechanism and switching behavior of N-AlO x RRAM. © 1963-2012 IEEE.