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Nano-Crossbar Memories Comprising Parallel/Serial Complementary Memristive Switches

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Abstract

This work explores anti-serial (anti-parallel) memristive switches—ASMs (APMs)—as potential cross-point elements in nano-crossbar resistive random access memory arrays. The memory operation principles for both device combinations are shown in detail. The effectiveness of these memristive structures to the solution of the parasitic conducting (current sneak paths) problem is presented via an analytical approach which is based on the basic setup of resistive crossbar memories. Simulation results of crossbars of up to 4,096 elements, arranged in quadratic configurations, are conducted. The provided results supplement this comprehensive analysis of APMs and ASMs, outlining their overall performance characteristics and commenting on their applicability to the practical realization of large crossbar memory systems. Finally, a special array topology is applied to an ASM-based crossbar memory. Its performance is compared to the performance of the pure ASM-based memory. The conducted simulations reveal significantly improved read-out voltage margins which further contribute to addressing the parasitic current paths which prevent the reliable operation of memristive crossbar circuit topologies.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported in part by a scholarship from the Bodossaki Foundation in Greece.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Electronics, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Democritus University of Thrace, Panepistimioupoli, Kimmeria, Building B, Room 122, 671 00, Xanthi, Greece

    Ioannis Vourkas & Georgios Ch. Sirakoulis

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  1. Ioannis Vourkas
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  2. Georgios Ch. Sirakoulis
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Correspondence to Ioannis Vourkas.

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Vourkas, I., Sirakoulis, G.C. Nano-Crossbar Memories Comprising Parallel/Serial Complementary Memristive Switches. BioNanoSci. 4, 166–179 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12668-014-0132-y

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