I-Corps: Low Power Memory Chips

这个I-Corps项目的更广泛的影响/商业潜力是开发先进的存储设备。预计到2025年，存储器行业将占整个半导体市场（约6500亿美元）的27%（约1750亿美元），并在计算机系统、电子产品、数据中心和云服务系统中发挥至关重要的作用。目前，作为主流存储技术的NAND闪存技术存在器件缩放、续航能力有限、操作写入速度低、写入电压高、功耗高等缺点。所提出的技术是一种基于电阻式随机存取存储器（RRAM）的非易失性存储器（NVM）技术，由于其结构简单，具有优异的可扩展性（允许存储更多数据）的可能性，纳秒级的操作速度（允许更快的访问和处理数据）以及纳瓦级的功耗（可以增加设备的电池寿命并降低成本），因此为当前存储器技术的挑战提供了具有竞争力的解决方案。提议的RRAM可用于各种物联网（IoT）设备，以实现更快的数据处理和更长的电池寿命。此外，汽车行业可能会在高级驾驶辅助系统和自动驾驶系统中采用该技术，以提供高性能存储。I-Corps项目的基础是开发超低功耗（10 - 200 nW）电阻随机存取存储器（RRAM）设备。系统地研究了所提出的RRAM器件的电极、载流子输运、触点之间的界面特性和电阻开关层。该器件在10 nA工作电流下具有超低功耗，具有优异的电阻开关特性，如高度均匀的I-V特性和集中的SET和RESET电压，以及优异的稳定性。此外，这些提议的RRAM器件具有高Roff/Ron比（103）的多比特存储能力。RRAM器件在低遵从电流下的多比特电阻开关特性为低功耗、高密度数据存储应用铺平了道路。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The broader impact/commercial potential of this I-Corps project is the development of advanced memory devices. The memory sector is expected to take ~27% (~175 billion USD) of the total semiconductor market (~650 billion USD) by 2025 and plays a crucial role in computer systems, electronic gadgets, data centers, and cloud service systems. Currently, NAND flash technology, the dominant storage technology, has several disadvantages such as device scaling, limited endurance, low operational writing speed and requires a high write voltage and high-power consumption. The proposed technology is a resistive random-access memory (RRAM)-based non-volatile memory (NVM) technology that offers competitive solutions to the challenges of current memory technology due to its simple structure, the possibility of excellent scalability, which allows for the storage of more data, nanosecond operation speed, which allows for faster access and processing of data, and nanowatts power consumption, which increases the battery life of devices and reduces costs. The proposed RRAM may be used in a variety of Internet of Things (IoT) devices to enable faster data processing and longer battery life. In addition, the automotive industry may adopt this technology for advanced driver assistance systems and autonomous driving systems to provide high performance storage. This I-Corps project is based on the development of ultralow power (10 – 200 nW) resistive random-access memory (RRAM) devices. The proposed RRAM devices including the electrodes, carrier transport, interface properties between the contacts, and resistive switching layers of the have been systematically studied. The devices exhibit ultra-low power operation under a 10 nA operating current with excellent resistive switching characteristics, such as highly uniform I-V characteristics with concentrated SET and RESET voltages, and excellent stability. In addition, these proposed RRAM devices have multi-bit storage capability with a high Roff/Ron ratio (103). The multi-bit resistive switching behaviors of the RRAM devices at a low compliance current pave the way for low-power and high-density data storage applications.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.