The mathematical properties of a fourth fundamental passive circuit element were predicted 40 years ago by Leon Chua. This new circuit element was predicted to behave as a resistor but with a resistance that changed with the electric charge that had passed through the device. Dubbed the Memristor, it was not until 2008 that such a device was discovered by a team working at HP Labs.
The HP Memristor is a simple device constructed of a TiO2 thin film sandwiched between platinum electrodes. The HP Memristor is easy to manufacture but requires a modern nanometre scale process.
The HP Memristor relies on two physical characteristics of titanium dioxide. The first characteristic is the sensitivity of TiO2 conductivity to oxygen depletion. TiO2 is normally an insulator but behaves as an n-type semiconductor when oxygen vacancies are introduced, forming TiO2-x. The second characteristic that the HP Memristor relies on is that of anionic migration, the tendency for oxygen vacancies within TiO2 to drift with an applied electric field.
The Memristor has the potential for several important applications in the electronics and computing industries. These applications include but are not limited to non-volatile memory, analog electronics, and image processing. These applications take advantage of the Memristor's ability to store digital and analog information in a simple and power-efficient manner.
The HP Memristor relies on two physical characteristics of titanium dioxide. The first characteristic is the sensitivity of TiO2 conductivity to oxygen depletion. TiO2 is normally an insulator but behaves as an n-type semiconductor when oxygen vacancies are introduced, forming TiO2-x. The second characteristic that the HP Memristor relies on is that of anionic migration, the tendency for oxygen vacancies within TiO2 to drift with an applied electric field.
The Memristor has the potential for several important applications in the electronics and computing industries. These applications include but are not limited to non-volatile memory, analog electronics, and image processing. These applications take advantage of the Memristor's ability to store digital and analog information in a simple and power-efficient manner.
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