Volatile threshold switching memristor:An emerging enabler in the AIoT era

With rapid advancement and deep integration of artificial intelligence and the internet-of-things,artificial intelligence of things has emerged as a promising technology changing people’s daily life.Massive growth of data generated from the devices challenges the AIoT systems from information collection,storage,processing and communication.In the review,we introduce volatile threshold switching memristors,which can be roughly classified into three types:metallic conductive filament-based TS devices,amorphous chalcogenide-based ovonic threshold switching devices,and metal-insulator transition based TS devices.They play important roles in high-density storage,energy efficient computing and hardware security for AIoT systems.Firstly,a brief introduction is exhibited to describe the categories(materials and characteristics)of volatile TS devices.And then,switching mechanisms of the three types of TS devices are discussed and systematically summarized.After that,attention is focused on the applications in 3D cross-point memory technology with high storage-density,efficient neuromorphic computing,hardware security(true random number generators and physical unclonable functions),and others(steep subthreshold slope transistor,logic devices,etc.).Finally,the major challenges and future outlook of volatile threshold switching memristors are presented.

Copper ion beam emission in solid electrolyte Rb_(4)Cu_(16)I_(6.5)Cl_(13.5)

Copper ion conducting solid electrolyte Rb_(4)Cu_(16)I_(6.5)Cl_(13.5)was prepared by means of mechano-chemical method.The structure and morphology of the powder was investigated by x-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy.The grain size was estimated to be 0.2-0.9μm and the ionic conductivity at room temperature was approximately 0.206 S/cm.The solid electrolyte Rb_(4)Cu_(16)I_(6.5)Cl_(13.5)was exploited for copper ion beam generation.The copper ion emission current of several nA was successfully obtained at acceleration voltages of 15 kV and temperature of 197℃in vacuum of 2.1×10^(-4)Pa.A good linear correlation between the logarithmic ion current(logI)and the square root of the acceleration voltage(U_(acc))at high voltage range was obtained,suggesting the Schottky emission mechanism in the process of copper ion beam generation.