AIP Advances (Feb 2017)

Coexistence of two types of metal filaments in oxide memristors

  • D. Xu,
  • X. N. Shangguan,
  • S. M. Wang,
  • H. T. Cao,
  • L. Y. Liang,
  • H. L. Zhang,
  • J. H. Gao,
  • W. M. Long,
  • J. R. Wang,
  • F. Zhuge

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4976108
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 7, no. 2
pp. 025102 – 025102-6

Abstract

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One generally considers the conducting filament in ZnO-based valence change memristors (VCMs) as an aggregation of oxygen vacancies. Recently, the transmission electron microscopy observation showed the filament is composed of a Zn-dominated ZnOx. In this study, careful analysis of the temperature dependence of the ON state resistance demonstrates that the formation/rupture of a Zn filament is responsible for the resistive switching in ZnO VCMs. Cu/ZnO/Pt memristive devices can be operated in both VCM and ECM (electrochemical metallization memristor) modes by forming different metal filaments including Cu, Zn and a coexistence of these two filaments. The device operation can be reversibly switched between ECM and VCM modes. The dual mode operation capability of Cu/ZnO/Pt provides a wide choice of select devices for constructing memristive crossbar architectures.