Extremely small test cell structure for resistive random access memory element with removable bottom electrode

We established a method of preparing an extremely small memory cell by fabricating a resistive random access memory (ReRAM) structure on the tip of a cantilever of an atomic force microscope. This structure has the high robustness against the drift of the cantilever, and the effective cell size was estimated to be less than 10 nm in diameter due to the electric field concentration at the tip of the cantilever, which was confirmed using electric field simulation. The proposed structure, which has a removable bottom electrode, enables not only the preparation of a tiny ReRAM structure but also the performance of unique experiments, by making the most of its high robustness against the drift of the cantilever.