Transition between bipolar and abnormal bipolar resistive switching in amorphous oxides with a mobility edge

Scientific Reports, vol. 11, pp. 14384

Abstract

Resistive switching is an important phenomenon for future memory devices such as resistance random access memories or neuronal networks. While there are different types of resistive switching, such as filament or interface switching, this work focuses on bulk switching in amorphous, binary oxides. Bulk switching was found experimentally in different oxides, for example in amorphous gallium oxide. The forms of the observed current-voltage curves differ, however, fundamentally. Even within the same material, both abnormal bipolar and normal bipolar resistive switching were found. Here, we use a new drift-diffusion model to theoretically investigate bulk switching in amorphous oxides where the electronic conductivity can be described by Mott's concept of a mobility edge. We show not only that a strong, non-linear dependence of the electronic conductivity on the oxygen content is necessary for bulk switching but also that changing the geometry of the memristive device causes the transition between abnormal and normal bipolar switching.

Authors 3

1. Christiane Ader Aachen Institute of Physical Chemistry

   RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   Institute of Physical Chemistry, RWTH Aachen University, 52074, Aachen, Germany

2. Andreas Falkenstein Aachen Institute of Physical Chemistry

   RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   Institute of Physical Chemistry, RWTH Aachen University, 52074, Aachen, Germany

3. Manfred Martin corresponding Aachen Institute of Physical Chemistry JARA–CSD JARA-FIT

   RWTH Aachen University · Forschungszentrum Jülich · Jülich Aachen Research Alliance

   Affiliation as printed

   Institute of Physical Chemistry, RWTH Aachen University, 52074, Aachen, Germany. martin@rwth-aachen.de

   JARA-CSD, Forschungszentrum Jülich and RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany. martin@rwth-aachen.de

   JARA-FIT, Forschungszentrum Jülich and RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany. martin@rwth-aachen.de

   JARA-CSD, Forschungszentrum Jülich and RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany

   JARA-FIT, Forschungszentrum Jülich and RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany