By combining electrical, physical, and transport/atomistic modeling results, this study identifies critical conductive filament (CF) features controlling TiN/HfO₂/TiN resistive memory (RRAM) operations. The leakage current through the dielectric is found to be supported by the oxygen vacancies, which tend to segregate at hafnia grain boundaries. We simulate the evolution of a current path during the forming operation employing the multiphonon trap-assisted tunneling (TAT) electron transport model. The forming process is analyzed within the concept of dielectric breakdown, which exhibits much shorter characteristic times than the electroforming process conventionally employed to describe the formation of the conductive filament. The resulting conductive filament is calculated to produce a non-uniform temperature profile along its length during the reset operation, promoting preferential oxidation of the filament tip. A thin dielectric barrier resulting from the CF tip oxidation is found to control filament resistance in the high resistive state. Field-driven dielectric breakdown of this barrier during the set operation restores the filament to its initial low resistive state. These findings point to the critical importance of controlling the filament cross section during forming to achieve low power RRAM cell switching.

Structural materials, typically based on metal, have been gradually substituted by high-performance composites based on carbon fibers, embedded in a polymer matrix, due to their potential to provide lighter, stronger, and more durable solutions. In the last decades, the composites industry has witnessed a sustained growth, especially due to diffusion of these materials in key markets, such as the construction, wind energy, aeronautics, and automobile sectors. Carbon fibers are, by far, the most widely used fiber in high-performance applications. This important technology has huge potential for the future and it is expected to have a significant impact in the manufacturing industry within Europe and, therefore, coordination and strategic roadmapping actions are required. To lead a further drive to develop the potential of composites into new sectors, it is important to establish strategic roadmapping actions, including the development of business and cost models, supply chains implementation, and development, suitability for high volume markets and addressing technology management. Europe already has a vibrant and competitive composites industry that is supported by several research centers, but for its positioning in a forefront position in this technology, further challenges are still required to be addressed.

By combining electrical, physical, and transport/atomistic modeling results, this study identifies critical conductive filament features controlling TiN/HfO ₂ /TiN resistive memory operations. The forming process is found to define the filament geometry, which in turn determines the temperature profile and, consequently, the switching characteristics. The findings point to the critical importance of controlling filament dimensions during the forming process (polarity, max current/voltage, etc.).

The relationship between electrical and structural characteristics of polycrystalline ${\text{HfO}}_2$ films has been investigated by conductive atomic force microscopy under ultrahigh vacuum conditions. The results demonstrate that highly conductive and breakdown (BD) sites are concentrated mainly at the grain boundaries (GBs). Higher conductivity at the GBs is found to be related to their intrinsic electrical properties, while the positions of the electrical stress-induced BD sites correlate to the local thinning of the dielectric. The results indicate that variations in the local characteristics of the high-k film caused by its crystallization may have a strong impact on the electrical characteristics of high-k dielectric stacks.