Processing and Characterization of CeRAM: a Non-volatile Non-filamentary Resistive Memory

Memory technologies have been evolving for a long time to provide durable and fast operation while not being very expensive. SRAM, DRAM, and Flash are traditional memories with advantages over each other in terms of speed, cost, reliability, and non-volatility. In addition, several emerging memory technologies are coming forward to solve one or more problems associated with existing memory technologies. CeRAM is one such memory technology projected to have several benefits over existing memory technologies. CeRAM, where ‘Ce’ stands for ‘Correlated Electrons’, is a resistive memory that undergoes switching through orbital interaction of atoms and bandgap variation in the material. In addition to being non-volatile, CeRAM is seen to have fast switching, and due to a rather simple fabrication process, CeRAM is relatively less expensive, as well. This gives CeRAM a potential edge over the existing memory technologies in terms of speed, cost, and memory retention. This project explores the operation of CeRAM memory devices and how durable and reliable they can be. The thesis indulges in the fabrication methodology of the device and investigates the performance through different tests. Stable two-state operation is demonstrated in these memory devices in terms of setting and resetting. Moreover, these devices offer promising endurance from room temperature to high-temperature environments (i.e., up to 200C), thereby expanding the scope of application of these memory devices. This project attempts to establish a functioning memory device that can work well in terms of writing or programming the memory, reading the distinctive memory states, competent endurance, and high-temperature operation. The results are promising, and more work can enhance the performance of these devices. It can potentially lead to reliable non-volatile memory technology that does not compromise speed and cost-effectiveness.