Skip to main content
Log in

Memristor-based RRAM with applications

  • Research Paper
  • Published:
Science China Information Sciences Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Recently acclaimed the fourth fundamental circuit element, the memristor was theoretically predicted by Leon Chua in 1971, although its single device electronic implementation eluded the attention of integrated circuit designers for the past three decades and was first reported in 2008 by the Hewlett-Packard (HP) Laboratory researchers while developing crossbar-based ultra high-density nonvolatile memories. Memristor-based hybrid nanoscale CMOS technology is expected not only to impact the flash memory industries profoundly, but also to revolutionize digital and neuromorphic computing. The memristor exhibits a dynamical resistance state that depends on its excitation history and which can be exploited to build transistor-less nonvolatile semiconductor memory (NVSM), commonly known as resistive RAM (RRAM). This paper addresses an implementation scheme for memristor-based resistive random access memory (MRRAM), a nano-scale binary memory that is compatible with modern computer systems. Its structure is similar to that of static random access memory (SRAM), but with the memristor replacing the underlying RS flip-flop. By improving the MRRAM, we propose a multilevel memory with greater data density, which stores multiple bit information in gray-scale form in a memory unit. Reported computer simulations and numerical analyses verify the effectiveness of the proposed scheme in storing ASCII characters and gray-scale images in binary format.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Chua L O. Memristor-the missing circuit element. IEEE Trans Circ Theor, 1971, 18: 507–519

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Tour J M, Tao H. Electronics: The fourth element. Nature, 2008, 453: 42–43

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Strukov D B, Snider G S, Stewart D R, et al. The missing memristor found. Nature, 2008, 453: 80–83

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Williams R S. How we found the missing Memristor. IEEE Spectrum, 2008, 45: 28–35

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Chen Y, Wang X. Compact modeling and corner analysis of spintronic Memristor. In: IEEE/ACM International Symposium on Nanoscale Architectures, New York, 2009. 7–12

  6. Pershin Y V, Ventra M D. Spin memristive systems: spin memory effects in semiconductor spintronic. Phys Rev B, 2008, 78: 3309–3312

    Google Scholar 

  7. Gergel-Hackett N, Hamadani B, Dunlap B, et al. A flexible solution-processed memristor. IEEE Electron Device Lett, 2009, 30: 706–708

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Brzezinski A, Lee J T, Slinker J D, et al. A light-emitting memristor. Organic Electron, 2008, 11: 150–153

    Google Scholar 

  9. Driscoll T, Kim H T, Chae B G, et al. Phase-transition driven memristive system. Appl Phys Lett, 2009, 95: 043 503/1–3

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Huai Y. Spin-transfer torque MRAM (STT-MRAM): challenges and prospects. AAPPS Bull, 2008, 18: 33–40

    Google Scholar 

  11. Biolek Z, Biolek D, Biolková V. SPICE model of memristor with nonlinear dopant drift. Radioengineering, 2009, 18: 210–214

    Google Scholar 

  12. Zhang X L, Huang Z C, Yu J B. Memristor model for SPICE. IEICE Trans Electron, 2010, E93C: 355–360

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Robinett W, Pickett M, Borghetti J, et al. A memristor-based nonvolatile latch circuit. Nanotechnology, 2010, 21: 235203

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Vontobel P O, Robinett W, Kuekes P J, et al. Writing to and reading from a nano-scale crossbar memory based on memristors. Nanotechnology, 2009, 20: 425204

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Laiho M, Lehtonen E. Arithmetic operations within memristor-based analog memory. In: Proceedings of the 12th International Workshop on Cellular Nanoscale Networks and Their Applications, Berkeley, 2010. 1–4

  16. Manem H, Rose G S, He X, et al. Design considerations for variation tolerant multilevel CMOS/nano memristor memory. In: Great Lakes Symposium on VLSI, Rhode Island, 2010. 287–292

  17. Eshraghian K, Cho K R, Kavehei O, et al. Memristor MOS content addressable memory (MCAM): hybrid architecture for future high performance search engines. IEEE Trans VLSI Syst, 2010, 99: 1–11

    Google Scholar 

  18. Kim H, Sah M P, Yang C, et al. Memristor-based multilevel memory. In: Proceedings of the 12th International Workshop on Cellular Nanoscale Networks and Their Applications, Berkeley, 2010. 1–6

  19. Medeiros-Ribeiro G, Williams R S. Memristor-CMOS hybrid integrated circuits for reconfigurable logic. Nano Lett, 2009, 9: 3640–3645

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Jo S H, Chang T, Ebong I, et al. Nanoscale memristor device as synapse in neuromorphic systems. Nano Lett, 2010, 10: 1297–1301

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Afifi A, Ayatollahi A, Raissi F, et al. Efficient hybrid CMOS-nano circuit design for spiking neurons and memristive synapses with STDP. IEICE Trans Fund, 2010, E93-A: 1670–1677

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Muthuswamy B. Memristor based chaotic circuits. IETE Tech Rev, 2009, 26: 417–429

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Zhong Q S, Yu Y B, Yu J B. Fuzzy modeling and impulsive control of a memristor-based chaotic system. Chin Phys Lett, 2010, 27: 020501 1–020501 3

    Google Scholar 

  24. Jo S H, Kim K H, Lu W. Programmable resistance switching in nanoscale two-terminal devices. Nano Lett, 2009, 9: 496–500

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Shin S, Kim K, Kang S M. Memristor-based fine resolution programmable resistance and its applications. In: Proceedings of International Conference on Communications, Circuits and Systems, Milpitas, 2009. 948–951

  26. Raja T, Mourad S. Digital logic implementation in memristor-based crossbars. In: Proceedings of International Conference on Communications, Circuits and Systems, Milpitas, 2009. 939–943

  27. Programmable Electronics using Memristor Crossbars. http://knol.google.com/k/anonymous/programmable-electronicsusing/23zgknsxnl-chu/2, 2009

  28. Hu X F, Duan S K, Wang L D, et al. Memristive crossbar array with applications in image processing. Sci China Inf Sci, 2012, 55: 461–472

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. Yang J J, Zhang M X, Strachan J P, et al. High switching endurance in TaOx memristive devices. Appl Phys Lett, 2010, 97: 232102 1–232102 3

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to LiDan Wang.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Duan, S., Hu, X., Wang, L. et al. Memristor-based RRAM with applications. Sci. China Inf. Sci. 55, 1446–1460 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11432-012-4572-0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11432-012-4572-0

Keywords

Navigation