Resistive Random Access Memories (RRAMs) are based on resistive switching (RS) operation and exhibit a set of technological features that make them ideal candidates for applications related to non-volatile memories, neuromorphic computing and hardware cryptography. For the full industrial development of these devices different simulation tools and compact models are needed in order to allow computer-aided design, both at the device and circuit levels. Most of the different RRAM models presented so far in the literature deal with temperature effects since the physical mechanisms behind RS are thermally activated; therefore, an exhaustive description of these effects is essential. As far as we know, no revision papers on thermal models have been published yet; and that is why we deal with this issue here. Using the heat equation as the starting point, we describe the details of its numerical solution for a conventional RRAM structure and, later on, present models of different complexity to integrate thermal effects in complete compact models that account for the kinetics of the chemical reactions behind resistive switching and the current calculation. In particular, we have accounted for different conductive filament geometries, operation regimes, filament lateral heat losses, the use of several temperatures to characterize each conductive filament, among other issues. A 3D numerical solution of the heat equation within a complete RRAM simulator was also taken into account. A general memristor model is also formulated accounting for temperature as one of the state variables to describe electron device operation. In addition, to widen the view from different perspectives, we deal with a thermal model contextualized within the quantum point contact formalism. In this manner, the temperature can be accounted for the description of quantum effects in the RRAM charge transport mechanisms. Finally, the thermometry of conducting filaments and the corresponding models considering different dielectric materials are tackled in depth.

This paper presents a computational procedure to simulate the time-domain behavior of photoconductive antennas made of semiconductor and metal materials. Physical modeling of semiconductor devices at terahertz regime can be achieved by applying joint electronic and electromagnetic procedures, e.g., solving a coupled system of equations inferred from Poisson's drift-diffusion and Maxwell's equations. A set of discrete equations are derived by applying a combined finite-difference methodology for the previous steady-state and the finite-difference time-domain procedure for the transient regime. The results for the radiated electric field at broadside direction show good agreement with the experimental results previously reported in the literature.

We report the potential use of non-diffractive Bessel beam for ultrafast laser processing in additive manufacturing environments, its integration into a fast scanning platform, and proof-of-concept side-wall polishing of stainless steel-based additively fabricated parts. We demonstrate two key advantages of the zeroth-order Bessel beam: the significantly long non-diffractive length for large tolerance of sample positioning and the unique self-reconstruction property for un-disrupted beam access, despite the obstruction of metallic powders in the additive manufacturing environment. The integration of Bessel beam scanning platform is constructed by finely adapting the Bessel beam into a Galvano scanner. The beam sustained its good profile within the scan field of 35 × 35 mm${}^2$. As a proof of concept, the platform showcases its advanced capacity by largely reducing the side-wall surface roughness of an additively as-fabricated workpiece from Ra 10 $\mathsf{\mu }$m down to 1 $\mathsf{\mu }$m. Therefore, the demonstrated Bessel–Scanner configuration possesses great potential for integrating in a hybrid additive manufacturing apparatus.

In this work, the impact of different HfO ₂ /Al ₂ O ₃ -based multilayer dielectric stack (DS) configurations on the electrical characteristics and on the resistive switching (RS) performance of Ni/Insulator/Silicon devices has been systematically investigated. Significant differences are observed in the electrical characteristics of the fabricated bilayer, trilayer and pentalayer stacks compared to a single HfO ₂ layer of the same physical thickness. The RS analysis has shown similar low resistance state currents and set voltages for all the DS combinations whereas currents at the high resistance state and reset voltages depend on the DS. The shift of the reset voltage to lower values for HfO ₂ and Al ₂ O ₃ /HfO ₂ /Al ₂ O ₃ cases is explained by the results from thermal simulations that reveal that these differences could be associated to the different temperature distributions at the narrowest part of the conductive filament immediately before the thermally triggered reset process occurs.