Provided are methods of forming electric devices by effecting application of a stress to the device so as to deform the device within the device's elastic limit and to place the device into a new electrice.g., resistancestate.

A data storing method comprises preparing a non-volatile memory device that includes a memory cell array including a plurality of memory cells, wherein the plurality of memory cells include a memory cell in an initial state, which does not change, unless a forming stress is applied thereto, to a variable state, in which a resistance value reversibly changes between a plurality of changeable resistance value ranges in accordance with an electric signal applied thereto; and applying the forming stress to the memory cell in the initial state, to store data in the memory cell array on the basis of whether each of the plurality of memory cells is in the initial state or the variable state.

Methods of forming and operating phase change memory devices include adjusting an activation energy barrier between a metastable phase and a stable phase of a phase change material in a memory cell. In some embodiments, the activation energy barrier is adjusted by applying stress to the phase change material in the memory cell. Memory devices include a phase change memory cell and a material, structure, or device for applying stress to the phase change material in the memory cell. In some embodiments, a piezoelectric device may be used to apply stress to the phase change material. In additional embodiments, a material having a thermal expansion coefficient greater than that of the phase change material may be positioned to apply stress to the phase change material.

Methods of forming and operating phase change memory devices include adjusting an activation energy barrier between a metastable phase and a stable phase of a phase change material in a memory cell. In some embodiments, the activation energy barrier is adjusted by applying stress to the phase change material in the memory cell. Memory devices include a phase change memory cell and a material, structure, or device for applying stress to the phase change material in the memory cell. In some embodiments, a piezoelectric device may be used to apply stress to the phase change material. In additional embodiments, a material having a thermal expansion coefficient greater than that of the phase change material may be positioned to apply stress to the phase change material.

Delay line memory device, systems and methods are disclosed. In one aspect, a delay line memory device includes a substrate; an electronic unit disposed on the substrate and operable to receive, amplify, and/or synchronize data signals into a bit stream to be transmitted as acoustic pulses carrying data stored in the delay line memory device; a first and a second piezoelectric transducer disposed on the substrate and in communication with the electronic unit, in which the first piezoelectric transducer is operable to transmit the data signals to the acoustic pulses that carry the data through the bulk of the substrate, and the second piezoelectric transducer is operable to transduce the received acoustic pulses to intermediate electrical signals containing the data, which are transferred to the electronic unit via an electrical interconnect to cause refresh of the data in the delay line memory device.

A memristor device with a thermally-insulating cladding includes a first electrode, a second electrode, a memristor, and a thermally-insulating cladding. The memristor is coupled in electrical series between the first electrode and the second electrode. The thermally-insulating cladding surrounds at least a portion of the memristor.

Devices and methods for controlling magnetic anisotropy and orientation of magnetic single domain structures between stable states are provided based on piezoelectric thin films and patterned electrodes. By using patterned electrodes, piezoelectric strain is manipulated to achieve a highly localized biaxial strain in a piezoelectric substrate and rotate the magnetic anisotropy of magnetic materials. Reorientation of a magnetic single domain between different stable states is accomplished by pulsing voltage across pairs of electrodes. Since only a small region surrounding the electrodes is strained, the methods can be applied to arrays of indexed magnetic elements and to piezoelectric thin films clamped to silicon base substrates.

Delay line memory device, systems and methods are disclosed. In one aspect, a delay line memory device includes a substrate; an electronic unit disposed on the substrate and operable to receive, amplify, and/or synchronize data signals into a bit stream to be transmitted as acoustic pulses carrying data stored in the delay line memory device; a first and a second piezoelectric transducer disposed on the substrate and in communication with the electronic unit, in which the first piezoelectric transducer is operable to transmit the data signals to the acoustic pulses that carry the data through the bulk of the substrate, and the second piezoelectric transducer is operable to transduce the received acoustic pulses to intermediate electrical signals containing the data, which are transferred to the electronic unit via an electrical interconnect to cause refresh of the data in the delay line memory device.

A nonvolatile memory storage device includes a ferroelectric (FE) material coupled with a piezoresistive (PR) material through an inherent piezoelectric response of the FE material, wherein an electrical resistance of the PR material is dependent on a compressive stress applied thereto, the compressive stress caused by a remanent strain of the FE material resulting from a polarization of the FE material, such that a polarized state of the FE material results in a first resistance value of the PR material, and a depolarized state of the FE material results in a second resistance value of the PR material.

An electronic device includes a first electrode, a second electrode spaced apart from the first electrode, a resistance variable element interposed between the first electrode and the second electrode, and a conductor arranged at least one of a first side and a second side of the resistance variable element to apply an electric field to the resistance variable element while being spaced apart from the resistance variable element, the first side facing the second side.