Carbon Doped Resistive Switching Layers

A resistive random access memory comprising:

• a first electrode layer;
• a second electrode layer;
• and
• a resistive switching layer comprising a carbon doped metal oxide,
• the resistive switching layer being disposed between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer and having a thickness of less than 50 Angstroms,
• the carbon doped metal oxide comprising one or more of hafnium oxide, aluminum oxide, nickel oxide, or zirconium oxide,
• wherein a concentration of carbon in the carbon doped metal oxide is between about 10 atomic percent and 20 atomic percent,
• wherein a set current of the resistive random access memory is less than 50 microamperes and a reset current of the resistive random access memory is less than 200 microamperes.

A method of forming a resistive random access memory cell, the method comprising:

• providing a substrate comprising polysilicon into a processing chamber;
• flowing trimethal aluminum (TMA) into the processing chamber such that a portion of TMA is adsorbed on the substrate;
• and
• flowing an oxidizing agent such that a portion of the oxidizing agent reacts with the adsorbed TMA forming a layer of aluminum oxide,
• wherein the substrate is maintained at a temperature at a temperature of 230° C. and 270° C. resulting in partial decomposition of TMA and incorporating carbon into the layer of aluminum oxide producing a carbon doped aluminum oxide layer;
• and
• performing a plasma nitridation treatment of the carbon doped aluminum oxide layer,
• wherein the treated carbon doped aluminum oxide layer is operable as a resistive switching layer such that the resistive random access memory cell has a set current of less than 50 microamperes and a reset current of the resistive switching layer is less than 200 microamperes.