Temperature dependent frequency tuning of NbOx relaxation oscillators

Abstract

This study investigates the temperature dependence of current-controlled negative differential resistance (CC-NDR) in Pt/NbOx/TiN devices and its effect on the dynamics of associated Pearson-Anson relaxation oscillators. The voltage range over which CC-NDR is observed decreases with increasing temperature such that no NDR is observed for temperatures above ∼380 K. Up to this temperature, relaxation oscillators exhibit voltage and temperature dependent oscillation frequencies in the range of 1 to 13 MHz. Significantly, the sensitivity of the frequency to temperature changes was found to be voltage-dependent, ranging from 39.6 kHz/K at a source voltage of 2 V to 110 kHz/K at a source voltage of 3 V, in the temperature range of 296–328 K. Such a behaviour provides insights into temperature tolerance and tuning variability for environmentally sensitive neuromorphic computing.