Proton resistive memory devices and methods
AssigneeUniversity of Washington
InventorsMarco Rolandi, Erik Josberger, Yingxin Deng
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Abstract
Disclosed herein is a memory device operating based on proton conduction between a source electrode and a drain electrode through a proton-conducting layer. As the memory device operates, protons from the source migrate through the proton-conducting layer and into the drain electrode. The memory device exhibits memory, in the form of changing net conductivity, based on the amount of protons conducted from source to drain. The memory device can be reset by regenerating the source electrode (e.g., through electrical or chemical action). The memory device can be incorporated into an integrated circuit as a memory element. Related methods of using the memory device are also disclosed.
Claims32
A memory device operating based on proton resistivity and capable of switching a device state between a high conductivity state and a low conductivity state, the memory device comprising:
- a source electrode comprising palladium, palladium hydride, or a combination thereof;
- a drain electrode comprising palladium, palladium hydride, or a combination thereof;
- and
- a proton-conducting layer separating the source electrode and the drain electrode, wherein the proton-conducting layer blocks electron transport;
- wherein the memory device is configured to operate by applying a first voltage between the source electrode and the drain electrode, thereby causing hydrogen ion transport from the source electrode into the proton-conducting layer and from the proton-conducting layer into the drain electrode to provide a hydrogen-depleted source electrode and a hydrogen-rich drain electrode;
- and
- wherein the device state has memory, based on conductivity of the source electrode and the drain electrode, that depends on the amount of charge as H+ ions that has been transferred through the proton-conducting layer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.