Stochastic model of the resistive switching mechanism in bipolar resistive random access memory: Monte Carlo simulations

A stochastic model of the resistive switching mechanism in bipolar metal-oxide-based resistive random access memory RRAM is presented. The distribution of electron occupation probabilities obtained is in good agreement with previous work. In particular, it is shown that a low occupation region is formed near the cathode. Our simulations of the temperature dependence of the electron occupation probabilities near the anode and the cathode demonstrate a high robustness of the low and high occupation regions. This result indicates that a decrease in the switching time with increasing temperature cannot be explained only by reduced occupations of the vacancies in the low occupation region, but is rather related to an increase in the mobility of the oxide ions. A hysteresis cycle of a RRAM simulated with the stochastic model is in agreement with experimental results. © 2011 American Vacuum Society. DOI: 10.1116/1.3521503