Ultralow switching voltage and power consumption of GeS₂thin film resistive switching memory

The coming Big Data Era requires progress in storage and computing technologies. As an emerging memory technology, Resistive RAM (RRAM) has shown its potential in the next generation high-density storage and neuromorphic computing applications, which extremely demand low switching voltage and power consumption. In this work, a 10 nm-thick amorphous GeS2 thin film was utilized as the functional layer of RRAM in a combination with Ag and Pt electrodes. The structure and memory performance of the GeS2-based RRAM device was characterized - it presents high on/off ratio, fast switching time, ultralow switching voltage (0.15 V) and power consumption (1.0 pJ and 0.56 pJ for PROGRAM and ERASE operations, respectively). We attribute these competitive memory characteristics to Ag doping phenomena and subsequent formation of Ag nano-islands in the functional layer that occurs due to diffusion of Ag from electrode into the GeS2 thin film. These properties enable applications of GeS2 for low energy RRAM device.