Ultrathin, stackable, low power non-volatile memory for 3D integration

Engineers in Prof. H.-S. Philip Wong's laboratory have developed a lower power, three-dimensional resistive random access memory (RRAM) device using an atomically thin graphene edge electrode. RRAM is an emerging non-volatile memory technology with better endurance, retention and speed combined with lower programming voltages and higher device density than Flash memory. This invention improves the performance of RRAM by employing ultrathin graphene instead of traditional metal electrodes to assemble a stacked three-dimensional structure. The resulting memory provides extremely high storage potential in a small volume with low current, low power and low energy consumption. This bit-cost-effective 3D architecture could be a significant step towards a highly efficient, next generation computing system, particularly for mobile applications which require long battery life.

Stage of Research
The inventors assembled a resistive memory (~3 angstrom thick) stacked in a vertical three-dimensional structure and demonstrated some of the lowest power and energy consumption among the emerging non-volatile memories. They performed an experimental circuit analysis and demonstrated higher storage potential for these devices than for devices based on conventional electrode geometries.