The study of lithographic variation in resistive random access memory

Reducing the process variation is a significant concern for resistive random access memory(RRAM).Due to its ultrahigh integration density,RRAM arrays are prone to lithographic variation during the lithography process,introducing electrical variation among different RRAM devices.In this work,an optical physical verification methodology for the RRAM array is developed,and the effects of different layout parameters on important electrical characteristics are systematically investigated.The results indicate that the RRAM devices can be categorized into three clusters according to their locations and lithography environments.The read resistance is more sensitive to the locations in the array(~30%)than SET/RESET voltage(<10%).The increase in the RRAM device length and the application of the optical proximity correction technique can help to reduce the variation to less than 10%,whereas it reduces RRAM read resistance by 4×,resulting in a higher power and area consumption.As such,we provide design guidelines to minimize the electrical variation of RRAM arrays due to the lithography process.

Advances of embedded resistive random access memory in industrial manufacturing and its potential applications

Embedded memory,which heavily relies on the manufacturing process,has been widely adopted in various industrial applications.As the field of embedded memory continues to evolve,innovative strategies are emerging to enhance performance.Among them,resistive random access memory(RRAM)has gained significant attention due to its numerousadvantages over traditional memory devices,including high speed(<1 ns),high density(4 F^(2)·n^(-1)),high scalability(~nm),and low power consumption(~pJ).This review focuses on the recent progress of embedded RRAM in industrial manufacturing and its potentialapplications.It provides a brief introduction to the concepts and advantages of RRAM,discusses the key factors that impact its industrial manufacturing,and presents the commercial progress driven by cutting-edge nanotechnology,which has been pursued by manysemiconductor giants.Additionally,it highlights the adoption of embedded RRAM in emerging applications within the realm of the Internet of Things and future intelligent computing,with a particular emphasis on its role in neuromorphic computing.Finally,the review discusses thecurrent challenges and provides insights into the prospects of embedded RRAM in the era of big data and artificial intelligence.

Time-dependent magnetometric resistivity anomalies of groundwater contamination: Synthetic results from computational hydro-geophysical modeling

We present a forward-modeling investigation of time-dependent ground magnetometric resistivity （MMR） anomalies associated with transient leachate transport in groundwater systems. Numerical geo-electrical models are constructed based on the hydrological simulation results of leachate plumes from a highly conceptualized landfill system and the resultant MMR responses are computed using a modified finite difference software MMR2DFD. Three transmitter configurations （i.e., single source, MMR-TE, and MMR-TM modes） and two hydrological models （i.e., uniform and faulted porous media） are considered. Our forward modeling results for the uniform porous medium indicates that the magnetic field components perpendicular to the dominant current flow contain the most information of the underground targets and the MMR-TE mode is an appropriate configuration for detecting contaminant plumes. The modeling experiments for the faulted porous medium also confirm that the MMR method is capable of mapping and monitoring the extent of contaminant plumes in aroundwater systems.

Electric modulation of anisotropic magnetoresistance in Pt/HfO_(2-x)/NiO_(y)/Ni heterojunctions

Electric field control of magnetism through nanoionics has attracted tremendous attention owing to its high efficiency and low power consumption.In solid-state dielectrics,an electric field drives the redistribution of ions to create onedimensional magnetic conductive nanostructures,enabling the realization of intriguing magnetoresistance(MR)effects.Here,we explored the electric-controlled nickel and oxygen ion migration in Pt/HfO_(2-x)/NiO_(y)/Ni heterojunctions for MR modulation.By adjusting the voltage polarity and amplitude,the magnetic conductive filaments with mixed nickel and oxygen vacancy are constructed.This results in the reduction of device resistance by~10^(3)folds,and leads to an intriguing partial asymmetric MR effect.We show that the difference of the device resistance under positive and negative saturation magnetic fields exhibits good linear dependence on the magnetic field angle,which can be used for magnetic field direction detection.Our study suggests the potential of electrically controlled ion migration in creating novel magnetic nanostructures for sensor applications.

Random Time Dependent Resistance Analysis on Reinforced Concrete Structures

The analysis method on random time dependence of reinforced concrete material is introduced,the effect mechanism on reinforced concrete are discussed,and the random time dependence resistance of reinforced concrete is studied.Furthermore,the corrosion of steel bar in reinforced concrete structures is analyzed.A practical statistical method of evaluating the random time dependent resistance,which includes material,structural size and calculation influence,is also established.In addition,an example of predicting random time dependent resistance of reinforced concrete structural element is given.

Beneficial effects of fenugreek glycoside supplementation in male subjects during resistance training: A randomized controlled pilot study

Purpose： To evaluate the efficacy and safety of the glycoside fraction of fenugreek （Trigonellafoenum-graecum） seeds （Fenu-FG） on physiologi- cal parameters related to muscle anabolism, androgenic hormones, and body fat in healthy male subjects during an 8-week resistance training program using a prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled design. Methods： Sixty healthy male subjects were randomized to ingest capsules of Fenu-FG （1 capsule of 300 rag, twice per day） or the matching placebo at a 1：1 ratio. The subjects participated in a supervised 4-day per week resistance-training program for 8 weeks. The outcome measurements were recorded at recruitment （baseline） and at the end of the treatment （8 weeks）. The efficacy outcome included serum testosterone （total and free） levels, muscle strength and repetitions to failure, metabolic markers for anabolic activity （serum creatinine and blood urea nitrogen）, and % body fat. The standard safety measurements such as adverse events monitoring, vital signs, hematology, biochemistry, and urinalysis were performed. Results： Fenu-FG supplementation demonstrated significant anabolic and androgenic activity as compared with the placebo. Fenu-FG treated subjects showed significant improvements in body fat without a reduction in muscle strength or repetitions to failure. The Fenu-FG supplemen- tation was found to be safe and well-tolerated. Conclusion： Fenu-FG supplementation showed beneficial effects in male subjects during resistance training without any clinical side effects.

Effect of Pulse and dc Formation on the Performance of One-Transistor and One-Resistor Resistance Random Access Memory Devices

We investigate the effect of the formation process under pulse and dc modes on the performance of one transistor and one resistor （1 T1R） resistance random access memory （RRAM） device. All the devices are operated under the same test conditions, except for the initial formation process with different modes. Based on the statistical results, the high resistance state （FIRS） under the dc forming mode shows a lower value with better distribution compared with that under the pulse mode. One of the possible reasons for such a phenomenon originates from different properties of conductive filament （CF） formed in the resistive switching layer under two different modes. For the dc forming mode, the formed filament is thought to be continuous, which is hard to be ruptured, resulting in a lower HRS. However, in the case of pulse forming, the filament is discontinuous where the transport mechanism is governed by hopping. The low resistance state （LRS） can be easily changed by removing a few trapping states from the conducting path. Hence, a higher FIRS is thus observed. However, the HRS resistance is highly dependent on the length of the gap opened. A slight variation of the gap length will cause wide dispersion of resistance.

Enhanced recovery program is safe and improves postoperative insulin resistance in gastrectomy

AIM: To assess the safety of enhanced recovery after surgery(ERAS) program in gastrectomy and influences on nutrition state and insulin-resistance. METHODS: Our ERAS program involved shortening the fasting periods and preoperative carbohydrate loading. Eighty gastrectomy patients were randomly assigned to either the conventional group(CG) or ERAS group(EG). We assessed the clinical characteristics and postoperative outcomes prospectively. The primary endpoint was noninferiority in timely discharge from the hospital within 12 d. Secondary endpoints were the incidence of aspiration at anesthesia induction, incidence of postoperative complications, health related quality of life(HRQOL) using the SF8 Health Survey questionnaire, nutrition state [e.g., albumin, transthyretin(TTR), retinal-binding protein(RBP), and transferrin(Tf)], the homeostasis model assessment-insulin resistance(HOMA-R) index, postoperative urine volume,postoperative weight change, and postoperative oral intake.RESULTS: The ERAS program was noninferior to the conventional program in achieving discharge from the hospital within 12 d(95.0% vs 92.5% respectively; 95%CI:-10.0%-16.0%). There was no significant difference in postoperative morbidity between the two groups. Adverse events such as vomiting and aspiration associated with the induction of general anesthesia were not observed. There were no significant differences with respect to postoperative urine volume, weight change, and oral intake between the two groups. EG patients with preoperative HOMA-R scores above 2.5 experienced significant attenuation of their HOMA-R scores on postoperative day 1 compared to CG patients(P = 0.014). There were no significant differences with respect to rapid turnover proteins(TTR, RBP and Tf) or HRQOL scores using the SF8 method.CONCLUSION: Applying the ERAS program to patients who undergo gastrectomy is safe, and improves insulin resistance with no deterioration in QOL.

Is Acupuncture Effective for Improving Insulin Resistance?A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

This study aimed to evaluate the clinical efficacy of acupuncture for intervening insulin resistance (IR)by meta-analysis of related randomized controlled trials (RCTs).Studies published prior to 31 January 2018 were searched on Pubmed,Medline,Cochrane Library, Embase databases and Chinese databases.Only RCTs,which examined acupuncture as the sole or adjunctive treatment for IR-related diseases,were included.The primary outcome was homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR).The secondary outcomes consisted of fasting blood glucose (FBG),fasting insulin (FINS)and 2-h postprandial blood glucose (2h-PBG).The differences between groups were reported as mean differences (MD).All statistical analyses were performed using RevMan software 5.3.After carefully screening relevant studies,9 RCTs involving 562 patients (279 in experimental group and 283 in control group)were enrolled in this study.The pooled results showed that acupuncture had significant effects on HOMA-IR (MD 0.70,95%CI 0.04 to 1.35,P=-0.04<0.05),FINS (MD 3.35mU/L,95%CI 1.99 to 4.7,P<0.001)and 2h-PBG (MD 1.03 mmol/L,95%CI 0.25 to 1.82,P=0.01).However,the differences in FBG were not significant (MD 0.28 mmol/L,95%CI -0.28 to 0.84,P=0.32>0.05).The present meta-analysis indicated that acupuncture can help to improve IR to a certain extent,which remains to be confirmed by further high-quality RCTs.

DESIGN OF DIFFERENTIAL POWER ANALYSIS RESISTANT CRYPTO CHIP BASED ON TIME RANDOMIZATION

Differential Power Analysis (DPA) is an effective attack method to break the crypto chips and it has been considered to be a threat to security of information system. With analyzing the prin-ciple of resisting DPA,an available countermeasure based on randomization is proposed in this paper. Time delay is inserted in the operation process and random number is precharged to the circuit during the delay time,the normal schedule is disturbed and the power is randomized. Following this meth-odology,a general DPA resistance random precharge architecture is proposed and DES algorithm following this architecture is implemented. This countermeasure is testified to be efficient to resist DPA.

Enhanced resistance switching stability of transparent ITO/TiO_2/ITO sandwiches

We report that fully transparent resistive random access memory （TRRAM） devices based on ITO/TiO2/ITO sandwich structure, which are prepared by the method of RF magnetron sputtering, exhibit excellent switching stability. In the visible region （400 800 nm in wavelength） the TRRAM device has a transmittance of more than 80%. The fabricated TRRAM device shows a bipolar resistance switching behaviour at low voltage, while the retention test and rewrite cycles of more than 300,000 indicate the enhancement of switching capability. The mechanism of resistance switching is further explained by the forming and rupture processes of the filament in the TiO2 layer with the help of more oxygen vacancies which are provided by the transparent ITO electrodes.

Bipolar resistance switching in the fully transparent BaSnO_3-based memory device

The fully transparent indium-tin-oxide/BaSnO3/F-doped SnO2 devices that show a stable bipolar resistance switching effect are successfully fabricated. In addition to the transmittance being above 87% for visible light, an initial forming process is unnecessary for the production of transparent memory. Fittings to the current-voltage curves reveal the interfacial conduction in the devices. The first-principles calculation indicates that the oxygen vacancies in cubic BaSnO3 will form the defective energy level below the bottom of conduction band. The field-induced resistance change can be explained based on the change of the interracial Schottky barrier, due to the migration of oxygen vacancies in the vicinity of the interface. This work presents a candidate material BaSnO3 for the application of resistive random access memory to transparent electronics.

Experimental study and theoretical analysis of fluid resistance in porous media of glass spheres

Porous media have a wide range of applications in production and life, as well as in science and technology. The study of flow resistance in porous media has a great effect on industrial and agricultural production. The flow resistance of fluid flow through a 20-mm glass sphere bed is studied experimentally. It is found that there is a significant deviation between the Ergun equation and the experimental data. A staggered pore-throat model is established to investigate the flow resistance in randomly packed porous media. A hypothesis is made that the particles are staggered in a regular triangle arrangement. An analytical formulation of the flow resistance in random porous media is derived. There are no empirical constants in the formulation and every parameter has a specific physical meaning. The formulation predictions are in good agreement with the experimental data. The deviation is within the range of 25%. This shows that the staggered pore-throat model is reasonable and is expected to be verified by more experiments and extended to other porous media.

Resistive switching characteristic and uniformity of low-power HfO_x-based resistive random access memory with the BN insertion layer

In this letter,the Ta/HfO/BN/TiN resistive switching devices are fabricated and they exhibit low power consumption and high uniformity each.The reset current is reduced for the HfO/BN bilayer device compared with that for the Ta/HfO/TiN structure.Furthermore,the reset current decreases with increasing BN thickness.The HfOlayer is a dominating switching layer,while the low-permittivity and high-resistivity BN layer acts as a barrier of electrons injection into TiN electrode.The current conduction mechanism of low resistance state in the HfO/BN bilayer device is space-chargelimited current(SCLC),while it is Ohmic conduction in the HfOdevice.

Thermal stability and data retention of resistive random access memory with HfOx/ZnO double layers

As an industry accepted storage scheme, hafnium oxide（HfO_x） based resistive random access memory（RRAM）should further improve its thermal stability and data retention for practical applications. We therefore fabricated RRAMs with HfO_x/ZnO double-layer as the storage medium to study their thermal stability as well as data retention. The HfO_x/ZnO double-layer is capable of reversible bipolar switching under ultralow switching current（〈 3 μA） with a Schottky emission dominant conduction for the high resistance state and a Poole–Frenkel emission governed conduction for the low resistance state. Compared with a drastically increased switching current at 120℃ for the single HfO_x layer RRAM, the HfO_x/ZnO double-layer exhibits excellent thermal stability and maintains neglectful fluctuations in switching current at high temperatures（up to 180℃）, which might be attributed to the increased Schottky barrier height to suppress current at high temperatures. Additionally, the HfO_x/ZnO double-layer exhibits 10-year data retention @85℃ that is helpful for the practical applications in RRAMs.

Graphene resistive random memory - the promising memory device in next generation

Graphene-based resistive random access memory （GRRAM） has grasped researchers＇ attention due to its merits com- pared with ordinary RRAM. In this paper, we briefly review different types of GRRAMs. These GRRAMs can be divided into two categories： graphene RRAM and graphene oxide （GO）/reduced graphene oxide （rGO） RRAM. Using graphene as the electrode, GRRAM can own many good characteristics, such as low power consumption, higher density, transparency, SET voltage modulation, high uniformity, and so on. Graphene flakes sandwiched between two dielectric layers can lower the SET voltage and achieve multilevel switching. Moreover, the GRRAM with rGO and GO as the dielectric or electrode can be simply fabricated. Flexible and high performance RRAM and GO film can be modified by adding other materials layer or making a composite with polymer, nanoparticle, and 2D materials to further improve the performance. Above all, GRRAM shows huge potential to become the next generation memory.

Remarkable Resistance Change in Plasma Oxidized TiOx/TiNx Film for Memory Application

We report the experimental phenomenon of large resistance change in plasma oxidized TiOx/TiNx film fabricated on W bottom-electrode-contact （W-BEC） array. The W-BEC in diameter 26Ohm is fabricated by a 0.18μm CMOS technology, and the TiOx/TiNx cell array is formed by rf magnetron sputtering and reactive ion etching. In current-voltage （I- V） measurement for current-sweeping mode, large snap-back of voltage is observed, which indicates that the sample changes from high-resistance state （HRS） to low-resistance state （LRS）. In the I-V measurement for voltage-sweeping mode, large current collapse is observed, which indicates that the sample changes from LRS to HRS. The current difference between HRS and LRS is about two orders. The threshold current and voltage for the resistance change is about 5.0- 10^-5 A and 2.5 V, respectively. The pulse voltage can also change the resistance and the pulse time is as shorter as 30 ns for the resistance change. These properties of TiOx/TiNx film are comparable to that of conventional phase-change material, which makes it possible for RRAM application.

Analysis and modeling of resistive switching mechanisms oriented to resistive random-access memory

With the progress of the semiconductor industry,the resistive random-access memory（RAM） has drawn increasing attention.The discovery of the memristor has brought much attention to this study.Research has focused on the resistive switching characteristics of different materials and the analysis of resistive switching mechanisms.We discuss the resistive switching mechanisms of different materials in this paper and analyze the differences of those mechanisms from the view point of circuitry to establish their respective circuit models.Finally,simulations are presented.We give the prospect of using different materials in resistive RAM on account of their resistive switching mechanisms,which are applied to explain their resistive switchings.

Effects of Film Thickness and Ar/O2 Ratio on Resistive Switching Characteristics of HfOx-Based Resistive-Switching Random Access Memories

Cu/HfOx/n^＋Si devices are fabricated to investigate the influence of technological parameters including film thickness and Ar/02 ratio on the resistive switching （RS） characteristics of HfOx films, in terms of switch ratio, endurance properties, retention time and multilevel storage. It is revealed that the RS characteristics show strong dependence on technological parameters mainly by altering the defects （oxygen vacancies） in the film. The sample with thickness of 2Onto and Ar/O2 ratio of 12：3 exhibits the best RS behavior with the potential of multilevel storage. The conduction mechanism of all the films is interpreted based on the filamentary model.

Electric-field control of perpendicular magnetic anisotropy by resistive switching via electrochemical metallization

Electric-field control of perpendicular magnetic anisotropy(PMA) is a feasible way to manipulate perpendicular magnetization,which is of great importance for realizing energy-efficient spintronics.Here,we propose a novel approach to accomplish this task at room temperature by resistive switching(RS) via electrochemical metallization(ECM) in a device with the stack of Si/SiO_(2)/Ta/Pt/Ag/Mn-doped ZnO(MZO)/Pt/Co/Pt/ITO.By applying certain voltages,the device could be set at high-resistance-state(HRS) and low-resistance-state(LRS),accompanied with a larger and a smaller coercivity(H_(C)),respectively,which demonstrates a nonvolatile E-field control of PMA.Based on our previous studies and the present control experiments,the electric modulation of PMA can be briefly explained as follows.At LRS,the Ag conductive filaments form and pass through the entire MZO layer and finally reach the Pt/Co/Pt sandwich,leading to weakening of PMA and reduction of H_(C).In contrast,at HRS,most of the Ag filaments dissolve and leave away from the Pt/Co/Pt sandwich,causing partial recovery of PMA and an increase of H_(C).This work provides a new clue to designing low-power spintronic devices based on PMA films.