Memristors with an electrode metal reservoir for dopants

US8325507B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• HEWLETT-PACKARD DEVELOPMENT COMPANY, L.P. · US

Inventors

• Jianhua Yang · Palo Alto, US
• Wei Yi · Longbeilingcun, CN
• Michael Josef Stuke · Palo Alto, US
• Shih-Yuan Wang · Palo Alto, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Sep 29, 2010
• Grant date: Dec 4, 2012
• Expiry date: Jun 7, 2031

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H10N70/8833

Abstract

A memristor includes a first electrode of a nanoscale width; a second electrode of a nanoscale width; and an active region disposed between the first and second electrodes. The active region has a both a non-conducting portion and a source of dopants portion induced by electric field. The non-conducting portion comprises an electronically semiconducting or nominally insulating material and a weak ionic conductor switching material capable of carrying a species of dopants and transporting the dopants under an electric field. The non-conducting portion is in contact with the first electrode and the source of dopants portion is in contact with the second electrode. The second electrode comprises a metal reservoir for the dopants. A crossbar array comprising a plurality of the nanoscale switching devices is also provided. A process for making at least one nanoscale switching device is further provided.