Metal Penetration and Grain Boundary in MoS2 Memristors

Abstract

2D semiconductors have demonstrated outstanding switching performance in resistive random-access memory (RRAM). Despite the proposed resistive switching (RS) mechanism involving the penetration of electrode metal atoms, direct observation of metal penetration in these van-der-Waals stacked 2D semiconductors remains absent. This study utilizes 2D molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂) as the switching material, employing gold and multilayer graphene as electrodes. Through analysis of the switching characteristics of these RRAM devices, the pivotal role of grain boundaries and metal atoms is identify in achieving RS. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy provide direct evidence of metal penetration into multilayer MoS₂. This study offers valuable insights into the RS mechanism in memristors based on multilayer MoS₂, providing guidance for designing and optimizing 2D material memristive devices.