A method of generating random bits by using electronic bipolar memristor
Abstract
The intrinsic stochasticity of resistance switching process is one of the holdblocks for using memristor as a fundamental element in the next-generation nonvolatile memory. However, such a weakness can be used as an asset for generating the random bits, which is valuable in a hardware security system. In this work, a forming-free electronic bipolar Pt/Ti/Ta2O5/Pt memristor is successfully fabricated to investigate the merits of generating random bits in such a device. The resistance switching mechanism of the fabricated device is ascribed to the electric field conducted electrons trapping/de-trapping in the deep-energy-level traps produced by the "oxygen grabbing" process. The stochasticity of the electrons trapping/de-trapping governs the random distribution of the set/reset switching voltages of the device, making a single memristor act as a random bit in which the resistance of the device represents information and the applied voltage pulse serves as the triggering signal. The physical implementation of such a random process provides a method of generating the random bits based on memristors in hardware security applications. *Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 61832007) and the National Key Research and Development Program of China (Grant No. 2018YFB1003304).
- Publication:
-
Chinese Physics B
- Pub Date:
- April 2020
- DOI:
- 10.1088/1674-1056/ab77fd
- Bibcode:
- 2020ChPhB..29d8505Y
- Keywords:
-
- memristor;
- resistance switching;
- electrons trapping/de-trapping;
- random bits;
- 85.35.-p;
- 77.80.Fm;
- 05.40.-a