Modeling and simulation of electrochemical metallization memory cells

Redox-based resistive switching devices are a potential candidate for future non-volatile memory. One type of these devices is the electrochemical metallization memory cell (ECM). To enable circuit design using resistive switching devices predictive simulation models are required. This work presents a physical model for the resistive switching in ECM cells that is based on the electrochemical driven growth and dissolution of a metallic filament. The simulation model covers self-consistently the basic experimental characteristics: I-V characteristics, nonlinear switching kinetics, and multilevel switching behavior. Furthermore, the RESET mechanism is discussed with respect to different ON states, i.e. galvanic contact versus tunneling gap.