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A current-driven single-atom memory

Nature Nanotechnology volume 8, pages 645–648 (2013)Cite this article

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Abstract

The possibility of fabricating electronic devices with functional building blocks of atomic size is a major driving force of nanotechnology1. The key elements in electronic circuits are switches, usually realized by transistors, which can be configured to perform memory operations. Electronic switches have been miniaturized all the way down to the atomic scale2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9. However, at such scales, three-terminal devices are technically challenging to implement. Here we show that a metallic atomic-scale contact can be operated as a reliable and fatigue-resistant two-terminal switch. We apply a careful electromigration protocol to toggle the conductance of an aluminium atomic contact between two well-defined values in the range of a few conductance quanta. Using the nonlinearities of the current–voltage characteristics caused by superconductivity10 in combination with molecular dynamics and quantum transport calculations, we provide evidence that the switching process is caused by the reversible rearrangement of single atoms. Owing to its hysteretic behaviour with two distinct states, this two-terminal switch can be used as a non-volatile information storage element.

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Figure 1: Creation of a bistable atomic switch.
Figure 2: Density plot of the counts for measuring a switch with low conductance GL and high conductance GH.
Figure 3: Transmission channel analysis of a bistable switch.
Figure 4: Scenario for the switching process of Fig. 3.
Figure 5: Atomic switch operated as a memory device through a stepwise variation of the current.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank H-F. Pernau for experimental assistance and M. Häfner and O. Schecker for their contributions in the early phase of this study. The authors also thank P. Leiderer for disussions. This work was supported financially by the DFG (through SFB 513 and SFB 767) and by the Baden-Württemberg Stiftung (through research network ‘Functional Nanostructures’). F.P. acknowledges additional funding through the Carl Zeiss Foundation. The authors thank the NIC for computer time.

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  1. C. Schirm

    Present address: Present address: Astrium GmbH, 81663 Munich, Germany,

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physics, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, D-78457, Germany

    C. Schirm, M. Matt, F. Pauly, P. Nielaba & E. Scheer

  2. Departamento de Física Teórica de la Materia Condensada and Condensed Matter Physics Center (IFIMAC), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, E-28049, Spain

    J. C. Cuevas

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  1. C. Schirm
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Contributions

C.S. performed the experiments. M.M. conducted the calculations and theoretical modelling. F.P., J.C.C., P.N. and E.S. planned the project and advised the students. All authors discussed the results and prepared the manuscript.

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Correspondence to E. Scheer.

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Schirm, C., Matt, M., Pauly, F. et al. A current-driven single-atom memory. Nature Nanotech 8, 645–648 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1038/nnano.2013.170

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