Tyumen physicists have enhanced the electrical properties of the memristor.

A memristor is a passive electronic component, a two-terminal device capable of altering its resistance based on the electric charge that has passed through it, while maintaining its state without external power.

With optimal operation of the memristor, it is possible to realize universal computer memory, a device that combines both RAM and ROM, enabling computations to be performed directly in memory. Additionally, the electrical properties of memristors are similar to the characteristics of synapses, making them valuable for the hardware implementation of artificial neural networks. The simplicity, compactness, speed, and efficiency of memristors make them attractive for research and application.

Zirconium dioxide is one of the promising candidates for the active layer in memristive devices. It not only exhibits exceptional electrical characteristics but is also compatible with modern technological processes. Furthermore, its properties can be controlled by adjusting the proportion of yttrium doping.

The electrical properties of zirconium thin films depend on their morphology. The more homogeneous the structure of the thin film, the more uniformly the electric field is distributed within it, enhancing the repeatability of devices and improving their characteristics.

The article “Influence of Fabrication Modes on the Properties of Memristors Based on ZrO2 Obtained by Magnetron Sputtering” by scientists Andrey Bobylev, Alexey Gubin, Maria Sviridenko, Nikita Shulaev, and Sergey Udovichenko was published in the 25th International Conference of Young Specialists on Electronic Devices and Materials (EDM).

The researchers determined the optimal mode of magnetron sputtering for depositing zirconium dioxide films by analyzing the morphology of the thin films and its impact on the electrical characteristics of the memristors fabricated from these films.

The analysis of the modes revealed a local minimum in the average roughness of the thin films, corresponding to an intermediate value of the material sputtering power. The maximum limiting resistance ratio is observed in the volt-ampere characteristic of the memristor with an active layer produced under these conditions.

This indicates a trend towards improved electrical characteristics of the memristor with enhanced roughness of its active layer. The results of this work can be utilized in the development of industrial technology for magnetron sputtering of metal oxide thin films for solid-state memristors.