MIM device and electronic apparatus

An electronic apparatus, comprising:

• a substrate;
• a plurality of lower electrode patterns formed in parallel with each other on said substrate, each of said lower electrode patterns comprising a metal nitride;
• a hysteresis film of an oxide containing Nb formed on said substrate so as to cover said plurality of lower electrode patterns;
• and
• a plurality of upper electrode patterns each formed of a metal nitride on said hysteresis film so as to cross said plurality of lower electrode patterns when viewed in a direction perpendicular to said substrate,
• each of said lower electrode patterns, said hysteresis film and each of said upper electrode pattern forming a plurality of MIM devices,
• wherein each of said MIM devices has a hysteresis characteristic in which:
• a current flowing through said MIM device decreases a magnitude thereof along a first curve when a magnitude of a voltage applied between said upper and lower electrodes is decreased from a first forming voltage of a negative polarity;
• said magnitude of said current increases along a second curve when said magnitude of said voltage is increased subsequently to a second forming voltage of positive polarity in a positive polarity direction beyond 0V;
• said magnitude of said current decreases along a third curve when said magnitude of said voltage is decreased from said second forming voltage to 0V, said third curve providing a larger current magnitude than said second curve;
• and
• said magnitude of said current increases along a fourth curve when said magnitude of said voltage is increased subsequently to said first forming voltage beyond 0V, said fourth curve providing a smaller current magnitude than said first curve.

A method for fabricating an electronic apparatus, comprising:

• forming a first metal nitride film on a substrate;
• forming a plurality of lower electrode patterns each extending in a first direction by patterning said first metal nitride film;
• forming an oxide film containing Nb as a hysteresis film so as to cover said plurality of lower electrode patterns;
• forming a second metal nitride film on said hysteresis film;
• and
• forming a plurality of upper electrode patterns each extending in a second direction different from said first direction by patterning said second metal nitride film,
• each of said lower electrode patterns, said hysteresis film and each of said upper electrode patterns forming a plurality of MIM devices,
• each of said MIM device having a hysteresis characteristic in which:
• a current flowing through each of said MIM devices decreases a magnitude thereof along a first curve when a magnitude of a voltage applied between said upper and lower electrodes is decreased from a first forming voltage of a negative polarity;
• said magnitude of said current increases along a second curve when said magnitude of said voltage is increased subsequently to a second forming voltage of positive polarity in a positive polarity direction beyond 0V;
• said magnitude of said current decreases along a third curve when said magnitude of said voltage is decreased from said second forming voltage to 0V, said third curve providing a larger current magnitude than said second curve;
• and
• said magnitude of said current increases along a fourth curve when said magnitude of said voltage is increased subsequently to said first forming voltage beyond 0V, said fourth curve providing a smaller current magnitude than said first curve.