Video: The Inner Workings of SiO ReRAM

This post shares a new and entertaining animation by Charlotte Streeter that offers one interpretation of the inner workings of one type of SiO-based nonvolatile memory like those described in Ron Neale’s most recent post on The Memory Guy.

The video links the observed electrical characteristics to the structural changes that are most likely to be occurring within the bit element.  The conducting state is the result of a mixture of oxygen vacancies and silicon.

The memory returns to the high resistance state when the current flow is choked off by the flood of oxygen atoms.  This provides a neat link to a common mechanism for normal operation and Forming, and will certainly be a point for debate and discussion.

(It’s silent, so don’t be surprised that there’s no sound.)

Have a look, and feel free to share any thoughts or questions in a comment below.  It does a great job of visualizing how an SiO ReRAM bit changes its state.

Anyone who would like to use Charlotte’s services as an animator can e-mail her directly by simply clicking HERE.