Memory using mixed valence conductive oxides

Abstract

A memory using a mixed valence conductive oxides. The memory includes a mixed valence conductive oxide that is less conductive in its oxygen deficient state and a mixed electronic ionic conductor that is an electrolyte to oxygen and promotes an electric field effective to cause oxygen ionic motion.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application is a continuation of “Memory Using Variable Tunnel Barrier Widths,” U.S. application Ser. No. 10 / 934,951, filed Sep. 3, 2004, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety and for all purposes.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] 1. Field of the Invention [0003] The present invention relates to computer memory and more specifically to non-volatile memory. [0004] 2. Description of the Related Art [0005] Memory can either be classified as volatile or nonvolatile. Volatile memory is memory that loses its contents when the power is turned off. In contrast, non-volatile memory does not require a continuous power supply to retain information. Most non-volatile memories use solid-state memory devices as memory elements. [0006] Since the 1960s, a large body of literature has evolved that describes switching and memory effects in metal-insulator-metal structures with thin insulators. One of the seminal works was “New C...

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Problems solved by technology

However, nobody has successfully implemented a metal-insulator-metal structure into a commercial solid-state memory device.

However, the authors caution, “The forming process is complex and inherently variable.

Also tunneling barriers are susceptible to changes in their characteristics when exposed to water vapour, organic species and oxygen . . . . Thus, device characteristics can never be expected to be produced consistently or be stable over long periods without passivation, effective encapsulation and a better understanding of the dynamics of the forming process.”

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