Three-Dimensional Simulation of Bipolar Resistive Switching Memory with Embedded Conductive Nanocrystals in an Oxide Matrix

In this work, the simulation of deoxidation–oxidation of oxygen vacancies (VOs) in an oxide matrix with embedded conductive nanocrystals (c-NCs) is carried out for the development of bipolar resistive switching memories (BRSMs). We have employed the three-dimensional kinetic Monte Carlo (3D-kMC) method to simulate the RS behavior of BRSMs. The c-NC is modeled as fixed oxygen vacancy (f-VO) clusters, defined as sites with zero recombination probability. The three-dimensional oxygen vacancy configuration (3D-VOC) obtained for each voltage step of the simulation is used to calculate the resistive state and the electrical current. It was found that the c-NC reduces the voltage required to switch the memory state from a high to a low resistive state due to the increase in a nonhomogeneous electrical field between electrodes.