Patent ID: 6878980

Claim:
A ferroelectric or electret memory circuit, particularly a ferroelectric or electret memory circuit with improved fatigue resistance, comprising: a memory cell with a ferroelectric or electret memory material exhibiting hysteresis and capable of being polarized to a positive or negative polarization state with a given polarization value, wherein the ferroelectric or electret memory material is a polymer or oligomer material, or blends or composites comprising materials of this kind; and first and second electrodes directly or indirectly contacting the memory material in an arrangement such that by applying appropriate voltages to the electrodes, a potential difference can be generated over the memory material for polarizing an unpolarized memory cell, or inducing a switching between a polarization states of the memory cell and the opposite polarization state, or inducing a temporary change in the polarization state or value thereof in the memory cell; wherein at least one of the first and second electrodes comprises at least one functional material selected among one or more of the following, viz. a diamond-like nanocomposite thin-film material, a conducting carbide material, a conducting oxide material, a conducting boride material, a conducting nitride material, a conducting silicide material, a conducting carbon-based material, or a conducting polymer or copolymer material, said at least one functional material being capable of physical and/or chemical bulk incorporation of atomic or molecular species contained in either the electrode material or the memory material of the memory cell and displaying a propensity for migrating in the form of mobile charged and/or neutral particles from an electrode material into the memory material or from the memory material into the electrode material, whereby an adverse effect on the functional properties of either the electrode material or the memory material of the memory cell can be offset.