Current instability with an S-shaped I-V characteristic in films of a metal-polymer complex of polyamide acid with Tb+2

Abstract

The manifestation of current instability as an S-shaped I-V characteristic was detected in thin films of a metal-polymer complex of polyamide acid with Tb+2. The current instability characteristics are comparable to those of the switching effect in chalcogenide glasses. The origin of the current instability in the metalpolymer complex may be related to electrothermal switching. The threshold voltage and current in films ∼0.1 µm thick are 3–7 V and (2−1)×10−2 A/cm2, respectively.