Nanoscale metal-based
tunneling junction (MTJ) devices were fabricated using the electromigration
method, and their electrical properties were studied after exposure to γ- and β-radiation. Irradiation caused the set threshold voltage (Vset) of the MTJ devices to
increase, leading to a transition from a low-resistance state (LRS) to a
high-resistance state (HRS). This shift in Vset was due to atom displacement from high-energy
electrons excited by γ- and β-radiation. Unlike semiconductor
devices, MTJ devices showed resilience to permanent damage and could be
restored in-situ through multiple I−V (I is the drain current; V is the drain voltage) sweeps with
appropriate configurations. This ability to recover suggests that MTJ devices
have promising potential under irradiation. The reparability of irradiated MTJ
devices is closely related to nothing-on-insulator (NOI) their structure,
providing insights for other NOI and metal-based micro-nanoscale devices.
Zhong-zheng TIAN, Da-cheng YU, Zhong-yang REN, Jiao-jiao TIAN, Li-ming REN, Yun-yi FU
. Impact of γ- and β-radiation
on metal-based tunneling junction devices and their
restorability[J]. Transactions of Nonferrous Metals Society of China, 2025
, 35(11)
: 3836
-3851
.
DOI: 10.1016/S1003-6326(25)66916-0