Influence of oxygen content on electrical properties of NiO films grown by rf reactive sputtering for resistive random-access memory applications

NiO films were prepared on Pt∕Ti∕SiO2∕Si substrates by rf reactive sputtering. The voltage-current characteristics of the Pt∕NiO∕Pt structures showed reproducible resistive switching behaviors at room temperature. The high- and low-resistance states were retained without applying an external bias voltage; the high- to low-resistance ratio was greater than 10. To investigate the influence of the oxygen content on the electrical properties, voltage-current characteristics of NiO films grown at various oxygen contents were investigated. As oxygen content increased from 5% to 10%, the resistance value of the NiO film drastically increased, and a resistive switching behavior was observed. However, as the oxygen content increased to 20%, the resistive switching behavior disappeared. The change in switching behavior was discussed in terms of Ni vacancies and compensating holes inside the NiO film. In addition, the memory properties of NiO-based resistive random-access memory were also investigated.

[1]  A. Pergament,et al.  Electroforming and Switching in Oxides of Transition Metals: The Role of Metal-Insulator Transition in the Switching Mechanism , 1996 .

[2]  Jong-Wan Park,et al.  Reproducible resistive switching in nonstoichiometric nickel oxide films grown by rf reactive sputtering for resistive random access memory applications , 2005 .

[3]  Switching processes and dielectric breakdown in NiO and NiO(Li) thin films , 1974 .

[4]  California,et al.  Field-induced resistive switching in metal-oxide interfaces , 2004, cond-mat/0402687.

[5]  D. Bremaud,et al.  Electrical current distribution across a metal–insulator–metal structure during bistable switching , 2001, cond-mat/0104452.

[6]  T. W. Hickmott,et al.  BISTABLE SWITCHING IN NIOBIUM OXIDE DIODES , 1965 .

[7]  S. Q. Liu,et al.  Electric-pulse-induced reversible resistance change effect in magnetoresistive films , 2000 .

[8]  W. E. Beadle,et al.  Switching properties of thin Nio films , 1964 .

[9]  S. Seo,et al.  Reproducible resistance switching in polycrystalline NiO films , 2004 .

[10]  T. W. Hickmott.  Electroluminescence, Bistable Switching, and Dielectric Breakdown of Nb2O5 Diodes , 1969 .

[11]  M. Yang,et al.  Resistive switching characteristics and set-voltage dependence of low-resistance state in sputter-deposited SrZrO3:Cr memory films , 2006 .

[12]  C. Gerber,et al.  Reproducible switching effect in thin oxide films for memory applications , 2000 .

[13]  H. Kuwahara,et al.  Current switching of resistive states in magnetoresistive manganites , 1997, Nature.

[14]  K. L. Chopra,et al.  Avalanche‐Induced Negative Resistance in Thin Oxide Films , 1965 .

[15]  S. H. Kim,et al.  Conductivity switching characteristics and reset currents in NiO films , 2005 .

[16]  F. Argall.  Switching phenomena in titanium oxide thin films , 1968 .

[17]  T. W. Hickmott.  Electron Emission, Electroluminescence, and Voltage‐Controlled Negative Resistance in Al–Al2O3–Au Diodes , 1965 .

[18]  D. Adler,et al.  Threshold Switching in Chalcogenide-Glass Thin Films , 1980 .