Memristor with channel region in thermal equilibrium with containing region
A memristor with a channel region in thermal equilibrium with a containing region. The channel region has a variable concentration of mobile ions. The containing region, formed of stoichiometric crystalline material, contains and is in thermal equilibrium with the channel region.
1. A memristor with a channel region in thermal equilibrium with a containing region, the memristor comprising:
a channel region having a variable concentration of mobile ions; and
a containing region of stoichiometric crystalline material, containing and in thermal equilibrium with the channel region, wherein
the channel region comprises a hollow core and a gradient region of the variable concentration of mobile ions entirely surrounding the hollow core, and wherein the gradient region comprises a bistable metal-oxide solid solution and an amorphous oxide phase material.
2. The memristor of claim 1 wherein the channel region comprises Ta(O) and TaO x and the containing region comprises Ta 2 O 5 .
3. The memristor of claim 1 wherein the channel region comprises Hf(O) and HfO x and the containing region comprises HfO 2 .
4. A memristor with a channel region in thermal equilibrium with a containing region, the memristor comprising:
a substrate;
an insulating layer adjacent the substrate;
a first contact adjacent the insulating layer;
a second contact spaced apart from the first contact;
a containing region disposed between the contacts; and
a channel region surrounded by the containing region, the first contact, and the second contact, the channel region having a variable concentration of mobile ions and in thermal equilibrium with the containing region, wherein
the channel region comprises a hollow core and a gradient region of the variable concentration of mobile ions entirely surrounding the hollow core, and wherein the gradient region comprises a bistable metal-oxide solid solution and an amorphous oxide phase material.
5. The memristor of claim 4 wherein the channel region comprises Ta(O) and TaO x and the containing region comprises Ta 2 O 5 .
6. The memristor of claim 4 wherein the channel region comprises Hf(O) and HfO x and the containing region comprises HfO 2 .
7. The memristor of claim 4 and further comprising an adhesion layer between the insulating layer and the first contact.
8. A method of fabricating the memristor of claim 4 , the method comprising:
depositing the first contact on the substrate;
depositing the containing region on the first contact;
depositing the second contact on the containing region; and
forming the channel region between the contacts and in thermal equilibrium with the containing region.
9. The method of claim 8 wherein forming the channel region comprises impressing an electric potential across the contacts to create an electric field through the containing region.
10. The method of claim 8 wherein forming the channel region comprises exposing the containing region to one of an ionized beam and an electron beam.
11. The method of claim 8 wherein forming the channel region comprises vacuum annealing the containing region.
12. A memristor with a channel region in thermal equilibrium with a containing region, the memristor comprising:
a substrate;
an insulating layer adjacent the substrate;
a first contact adjacent the insulating layer;
a second contact spaced apart from the first contact;
a containing region disposed between the contacts; and
a channel region laterally surrounded by the containing region and in thermal equilibrium with the containing region;
wherein the channel region is connected at opposite ends to the first and second contacts, respectively;
wherein the channel region comprises mobile ions that move within the channel region under influence of an electric field applied between the first and second contacts to change a resistance of the channel region, wherein
the channel region comprises a hollow core and a gradient region of variable concentration of the mobile ions entirely surrounding the hollow core, and wherein the gradient region comprises a bistable metal-oxide solid solution and an amorphous oxide phase material.
13. The memristor of claim 12 wherein the channel region comprises Ta(O) and TaO x and the containing region comprises Ta 2 O 5 .
14. The memristor of claim 12 wherein the channel region comprises Hf(O) and HfO x and the containing region comprises HfO 2 .