Spinel ferrites for resistive random access memory applications

Cutting edge science and technology needs high quality data storage devices for their applications in artificial intelligence and digital industries. Resistive random access memory (RRAM) is an emerging nonvolatile memory used for recording and reproducing the digital information. Earlier studies on RRAM applications suggest that spinel ferrite is a potential material. We envisage that the spinel ferrite prepared by a particular route, namely spin coating, will in future optimize the essential parameters for optimal functioning of RRAM. An assertion to our assumptions, few researchers have already obtained important findings for spin coated spinel ferrites. Spin coated spinel ferrites, namely zinc ferrite, nickel ferrite, cobalt ferrite and mixed spinel ferrites, have been investigated for their applications as switching layers in RRAM devices. Particularly, spin coated cobalt ferrite, nickel ferrite and doped nickel ferrite were widely used as resistive switching layers. However, it is noticed that there is a tremendous scope for synthesis and resistive switching characterization of spin coated pure and doped zinc ferrite. Proper doping of special element into spinel ferrite can enhance the resistive switching performance of RRAM devices. Insertion of nano structures and metal layers within switching layer uplifts the performance of spin coated spinel ferrite-based RRAM devices. Active layer in RRAM device synthesized by spin coating technique exhibited good resistive switching properties, namely retention of 10(3) to 10(5) s, endurance in the range of 10(2) to 22,500 cycles and memory window of 10(2) to 10(6). This review article accounts for the optimized parameters obtained especially for the spinel ferrite-based active material synthesized by spin coating justifying the results with appropriate theory. A good co-relation between synthesis parameters and the RRAM functional parameter is separately discussed at the end of review article.