Antiphase Boundaries Constitute Fast Cation Diffusion Paths in SrTiO3 Memristive Devices
Advanced Functional Materials, vol. 30
Abstract
Abstract Resistive switching in transition metal oxide‐based metal‐insulator‐metal structures relies on the reversible drift of ions under an applied electric field on the nanoscale. In such structures, the formation of conductive filaments is believed to be induced by the electric‐field driven migration of oxygen anions, while the cation sublattice is often considered to be inactive. This simple mechanistic picture of the switching process is incomplete as both oxygen anions and metal cations have been previously identified as mobile species under device operation. Here, spectromicroscopic techniques combined with atomistic simulations to elucidate the diffusion and drift processes that take place in the resistive switching model material SrTiO3 are used. It is demonstrated that the conductive filament in epitaxial SrTiO3 devices is not homogenous but exhibits a complex microstructure. Specifically, the filament consists of a conductive Ti3+‐rich region and insulating Sr‐rich islands. Transmission electron microscopy shows that the Sr‐rich islands emerge above Ruddlesden–Popper type antiphase boundaries. The role of these extended defects is clarified by molecular static and molecular dynamic simulations, which reveal that the Ruddlesden–Popper antiphase boundaries constitute diffusion fast‐paths for Sr cations in the perovskites structure.
Authors 13
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RWTH Aachen University · Forschungszentrum Jülich
Affiliation as printed
JARA‐FIT RWTH Aachen University 52056 Aachen Germany
Peter Gruenberg Institute 7 Forschungszentrum Juelich GmbH 52425 Juelich Germany
JARA-FIT, RWTH Aachen University, 52056 Aachen, Germany
Peter Gruenberg Institute 7, Forschungszentrum Juelich GmbH, 52425 Juelich, Germany
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Affiliation as printed
Institute of Physical Chemistry RWTH Aachen University 52056 Aachen Germany
Institute of Physical Chemistry, RWTH Aachen University, 52056 Aachen, Germany
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Hongchu Du Aachen Central Facility for Electron Microscopy Ernst Ruska-Center for Microscopy and Spectroscopy with Electrons
RWTH Aachen University · Ernst Ruska Centre
Affiliation as printed
Central Facility for Electron Microscopy RWTH Aachen University 52074 Aachen Germany
Ernst Ruska‐Centre for Microscopy and Spectroscopy with Electrons Forschungszentrum Juelich GmbH and RWTH Aachen University 52425 Juelich Germany
Central Facility for Electron Microscopy, RWTH Aachen University, 52074 Aachen, Germany
Ernst Ruska-Centre for Microscopy and Spectroscopy with Electrons, Forschungszentrum Juelich GmbH and RWTH Aachen University, 52425 Juelich, Germany
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RWTH Aachen University · Forschungszentrum Jülich
Affiliation as printed
JARA‐FIT RWTH Aachen University 52056 Aachen Germany
Peter Gruenberg Institute 7 Forschungszentrum Juelich GmbH 52425 Juelich Germany
JARA-FIT, RWTH Aachen University, 52056 Aachen, Germany
Peter Gruenberg Institute 7, Forschungszentrum Juelich GmbH, 52425 Juelich, Germany
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RWTH Aachen University · Forschungszentrum Jülich
Affiliation as printed
JARA‐FIT RWTH Aachen University 52056 Aachen Germany
Peter Gruenberg Institute 7 Forschungszentrum Juelich GmbH 52425 Juelich Germany
JARA-FIT, RWTH Aachen University, 52056 Aachen, Germany
Peter Gruenberg Institute 7, Forschungszentrum Juelich GmbH, 52425 Juelich, Germany
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RWTH Aachen University · Forschungszentrum Jülich
Affiliation as printed
JARA‐FIT RWTH Aachen University 52056 Aachen Germany
Peter Gruenberg Institute 7 Forschungszentrum Juelich GmbH 52425 Juelich Germany
JARA-FIT, RWTH Aachen University, 52056 Aachen, Germany
Peter Gruenberg Institute 7, Forschungszentrum Juelich GmbH, 52425 Juelich, Germany
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RWTH Aachen University · Forschungszentrum Jülich · Leibniz Institute of Surface Engineering
Affiliation as printed
Department of Functional Surfaces Leibniz‐Institute of Surface Engineering (IOM) Permoserstraße 15 04318 Leipzig Germany
JARA‐FIT RWTH Aachen University 52056 Aachen Germany
Peter Gruenberg Institute 7 Forschungszentrum Juelich GmbH 52425 Juelich Germany
JARA-FIT, RWTH Aachen University, 52056 Aachen, Germany
Peter Gruenberg Institute 7, Forschungszentrum Juelich GmbH, 52425 Juelich, Germany
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Elettra-Sincrotrone Trieste S.C.p.A.
Affiliation as printed
Elettra – Sincrotrone Trieste S.C.p.A. S.S. 14 km – 163,5 in AREA Science Park, Basovizza Trieste I‐34149 Italy
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Elettra-Sincrotrone Trieste S.C.p.A.
Affiliation as printed
Elettra – Sincrotrone Trieste S.C.p.A. S.S. 14 km – 163,5 in AREA Science Park, Basovizza Trieste I‐34149 Italy
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Elettra-Sincrotrone Trieste S.C.p.A.
Affiliation as printed
Elettra – Sincrotrone Trieste S.C.p.A. S.S. 14 km – 163,5 in AREA Science Park, Basovizza Trieste I‐34149 Italy
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Joachim Mayer Aachen Central Facility for Electron Microscopy Ernst Ruska-Center for Microscopy and Spectroscopy with Electrons
RWTH Aachen University · Ernst Ruska Centre
Affiliation as printed
Central Facility for Electron Microscopy RWTH Aachen University 52074 Aachen Germany
Ernst Ruska‐Centre for Microscopy and Spectroscopy with Electrons Forschungszentrum Juelich GmbH and RWTH Aachen University 52425 Juelich Germany
Central Facility for Electron Microscopy, RWTH Aachen University, 52074 Aachen, Germany
Ernst Ruska-Centre for Microscopy and Spectroscopy with Electrons, Forschungszentrum Juelich GmbH and RWTH Aachen University, 52425 Juelich, Germany
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Affiliation as printed
Institute of Physical Chemistry RWTH Aachen University 52056 Aachen Germany
Institute of Physical Chemistry, RWTH Aachen University, 52056 Aachen, Germany
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RWTH Aachen University · Forschungszentrum Jülich
Affiliation as printed
JARA‐FIT RWTH Aachen University 52056 Aachen Germany
Peter Gruenberg Institute 7 Forschungszentrum Juelich GmbH 52425 Juelich Germany
JARA-FIT, RWTH Aachen University, 52056 Aachen, Germany
Peter Gruenberg Institute 7, Forschungszentrum Juelich GmbH, 52425 Juelich, Germany
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