γ-Ray-Induced Effects in Al:HfO₂-Based Memristor Devices for Memory and Sensor Applications

Abstract

We observe that $\gamma $ -ray radiation affects the formation of the conducting bridge in Ag/Ti/Al:HfO2/Pt devices. We suggest that the $\gamma $ -ray breaks Hf-O bonds and affects the properties of metal/insulator interfaces. The radiation-induced interfacial layers promote the transition from write-once-read-many times (WORM) to reversible switching memories. The devices that undergo a higher radiation exposure exhibit a higher forming voltage that we could exploit to sense radiation; an electrical circuit to harness this phenomenon is also proposed. We also observe that the devices exhibit self-healing behavior, where the forming behavior restores once the radiation energy is released. The switching mechanism is explained and proposed to elucidate this phenomenon. This study not only provides insight into the development of memristor devices for space application but also their potential as multipurpose elements for reconfigurable circuits.