HfO₂-Based Memristors for Gamma-Ray Detection: An Experimental and Computational Investigation

In this work, we present a memristor with a thin film (~100-nm-thick) of a high-atomic-number material in a Cu/HfO2/ $\text{p}^{+}$ -Si stack to detect gamma-ray irradiation doses as low as ~30 mGy. The device leverages the unique properties of memristors, which exhibit a change in the resistance state upon applying an external electrical bias. This characteristic makes them well suited for dosimetry applications as the radiation exposure induces a change in the programming voltage ( ${V}_{{\text {SET}}}$ ). Our experiments reveal, on average, a 60% or more decrease in ${V}_{{\text {SET}}}$ in response to gamma-ray irradiation, covering a dose range of 30–850 mGy. These results highlight the potential of memristive sensing as a valuable tool for monitoring radiation exposure in space, safeguarding both individuals and electronics from its detrimental effects. In addition to the experimental findings, coupled radiation transport and radiation damage cascade simulations performed provide energy deposition, ionization, and defect distributions in the stack, yielding new insights into the device’s response to ionizing radiation. This combined approach aims at enhancing our understanding of the underlying processes and further optimizing the memristive sensing capability for radiation monitoring in space missions.