title: Performance improvement of resistive switching memory achieved by enhancing local-electric-field near electromigrated Ag-nanoclusters.
abstract: By introducing Ag nanoclusters (NCs), ZnO-based resistive switching memory devices offer improved performance, including improved uniformity of switching parameters, and increased switching speed with excellent reliability. These Ag NCs are formed between the top-electrode (cathode) and the switching layer by an electromigration process in the initial several switching cycles. The electric field can be enhanced around Ag NCs due to their high surface curvature. The enhanced local-electric-field (LEF) results in (1) the localization of the switching site near Ag NCs, where oxygen-vacancy-based conducting filaments have a simple structure, and tend to connect Ag NCs along the LEF direction; (2) an increase in migration and recombination rates of oxygen ions and oxygen vacancies. These factors are responsible for the improvement in device performance.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Advanced Optoelectronic Functional Materials Research and Key Laboratory for UV Light-Emitting Materials and Technology of Ministry of Education, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, PR China.
authors.forename: Z Q
authors.initials: ZQ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: H Y
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: X H
authors.initials: XH
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: J G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: X T
authors.initials: XT
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Y C
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Liu