Advanced oxide thin films: an innovative design for memory applications

Data-centric technologies are consuming a huge amount of world electricity. Low-power, non-volatile memories (NVMs) are urgently needed to reduce this power usage. Oxide memristors offer promising performance among all NVM types.

However, they have critical issues such as non-uniformity, poor scaling and retention, and low endurance and property reproducibility.

Here, the objective is to overcome these challenges and add unprecedented functionalities by growing novel HfO2-based vertically aligned nanocomposite (VAN) thin films via magnetron sputtering.In collaboration with Profs.

Flewitt and Driscoll at Cambridge University, I will lead this project, coordinate key scientific activities, deposit all films, and conduct most of characterizations.

Over 3-years, I will first grow HfO2 thin films with tunable compositions and engineer their columnarity and column width (~1-year).

Then, I will explore HfO2-based VANs to achieve desired memristors (~2-year).This project will provide remarkable insight into oxide memristors’ performance that is lacking now.

It will give me deep experience in exploring novel VANs, expand my expertise in functionality (electronic) characterization, and enable me to initiate and lead my future research activities when I return to Sweden.

By collaborating with experts in Cambridge, I will also expand my network to coordinate and undertake international cross-disciplinary research that will advance my future academic career as an independent researcher.