MemSens: Memristor-Based Radiation Sensor

Resistive random-access memory (RRAM) technology has been gaining importance due to scalability, low power, non-volatility, and the ability to perform in-memory computing. The RRAM sensing applications have also emerged to enable single RRAM technology platforms which include sensing, data storage, and computing. This paper reports on sol-gel drop coated low-power <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\mu $ </tex-math></inline-formula>-thick Ag/TiO₂/Cu memristor, named MemSens, developed for radiation sensing. MemSens exhibits a bipolar memristive switching behavior within a small voltage window, ranging up to +0.7 V for the turn-ON, and down to −0.2 V for the turn-OFF. Under these operating conditions, MemSens has 67% less switching voltage, 20% drop in ON switching current, 75% reduced active area and > 3x improved device endurance, compared to the best characteristics reported in the literature for <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\mu $ </tex-math></inline-formula>-thick memristors. The device is tested under direct exposure to ionizing Cs-137 662keV <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\gamma $ </tex-math></inline-formula>-rays, during which a significant increase in the electrical conductivity of the device is observed. MemSens circuit is proposed to allow a relatively real time and cost-effective radiation detection. This provides a first insight to the advancement of reliable memristors that could potentially be deployed in future low-power radiation sensing technologies for medical, personal protection, and other field applications.