Interfacially Engineered High‐Speed Nonvolatile Memories Employing p‐Type Nanoribbons

A novel two‐terminal high‐speed nonvolatile memory device is demonstrated featuring the construction of a quasi‐metal‐insulator‐semiconductor (q‐MIS) architecture. The quasi‐MIS memory takes advantage of an in situ formed amorphous AlO_x interfacial layer sandwiched between p‐type ZnS nanoribbons (p‐ZnSNRs) and a Al electrode. Systematical optimization of the AlO_x interfacial layer enables the resultant memory to show excellent memory characteristics, including a fast programming speed of <100 ns, a high current ON/OFF ratio of ∼10⁸, a long retention time of 6 × 10⁴ s, and good stability over 12 months. In addition, an interface‐state‐induced mechanism is proposed to elucidate in detail the memory characteristic for the quasi‐MIS structure. This work suggests great potential of such quasi‐MIS architecture for high‐performance two‐terminal memory, and more importantly, signifies the importance of interface engineering for the construction of novel functional nano‐devices.