Confined defect profiling within resistive random memory access cells

1. A method of fabricating a resistive random access memory (ReRAM) cell, the method comprising: providing a stack comprising a defect source layer, a defect blocking layer, and a defect acceptor layer, the defect acceptor layer being disposed between the defect source layer and the defect blocking layer, wherein the defect source layer comprises AlO x N y and the defect acceptor-layer comprises Al 2 O 3 prior to transferring the defects from the defect source layer to the defect acceptor layer; and annealing the stack, wherein the annealing transfers defects from the defect source layer to the defect acceptor layer and creates a resistive switching zone within the defect acceptor layer, and wherein substantially no defects are transferred from the defect acceptor layer to the defect blocking layer.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the annealing is performed at a temperature of between 500° C. and 800° C. for between 30 seconds and 30 minutes.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the defects comprise one of oxygen, nitrogen, carbon, or silicon.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the defect blocking layer comprises the defects.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein some of the defects in the defect blocking layer are transferred to the defect source layer.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the defect blocking layer comprises a metal, and wherein substantially no metal is transferred from the defect blocking layer to the defect source layer.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the defect blocking layer comprises one of silicon oxide, aluminum oxide, hafnium oxide, zirconium oxide, titanium nitride, tantalum nitride, or aluminum nitride.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the defect blocking layer is operable as an electrode.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the defect acceptor layer and the defect source layer comprise a same metal.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the defect source layer comprises between about 10 atomic percent and 30 atomic percent of nitrogen prior to transferring the defects from the defect source layer to the defect acceptor layer.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein nitrogen is distributed non-uniformly throughout a thickness of the defect source layer prior to transferring the defects from the defect source layer to the defect acceptor layer.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein more nitrogen is present within the defect source layer near the interface between the defect source layer and the defect acceptor layer than elsewhere in the defect source layer prior to transferring the defects from the defect source layer to the defect acceptor layer.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the resistive switching zone comprises between about 1 atomic percent and 15 atomic percent of nitrogen on average after transferring the defects from the defect source layer to the defect acceptor layer.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the resistive switching zone comprises less than 10 atomic percent of nitrogen on average after transferring the defects from the defect source layer to the defect acceptor layer.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the resistive switching zone has a lowest nitrogen concentration within the defect acceptor layer and the defect source layer.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the resistive switching zone comprises the lowest nitrogen concentration within the defect acceptor layer and the defect blocking layer.

17. A method of fabricating a resistive random access memory cell, the method comprising:

providing a first layer comprising aluminum oxide, the first layer having a thickness of between 20 Angstroms and 100 Angstroms;

introducing nitrogen into the first layer, wherein introducing nitrogen comprises plasma nitridation using ammonia and wherein the first layer comprises between about 15 atomic percent and 25 atomic percent on average after introducing nitrogen;

depositing a second layer comprising aluminum oxide over the first layer, the second layer having a thickness of between 20 Angstroms to 100 Angstroms;

depositing a third layer comprising titanium nitride over the second layer; and

annealing the first layer, the second layer, and the third layer at a temperature between 700° C. and 800° C. for a time period between 0.5 minutes and 2 minutes,

wherein annealing results in transferring nitrogen from the first layer and into the second layer while substantially no nitrogen is transferred from the second layer and into the third layer, and

wherein, after annealing, the second layer has a lowest nitrogen concentration zone between the first layer and the second layer,

the lowest nitrogen concentration zone having a nitrogen concentration of less than 10 atomic percent.

18. A resistive random access memory comprising:

a first layer comprising aluminum, oxygen, and nitrogen, the first layer having a thickness of between about 20 Angstroms to about 100 Angstroms;

a second layer comprising aluminum, oxygen, and nitrogen, the second layer disposed over the first layer, the second layer having a thickness of between about 20 Angstroms to about 100 Angstroms; and

a third layer comprising titanium nitride, the third layer disposed over the second layer,

wherein the second layer has a lowest nitrogen concentration zone within the first layer and the second layer,

the lowest nitrogen concentration zone having a nitrogen concentration of less than 10 atomic percent.