Resistive switching characteristics of TiO2 thin films with different electrodes

Abstract

Resistive switching behaviors in metal oxides have been mentioned for several decades. TiO2 is still a well-known material for resistive switching memory devices. The resistive switching characteristics of TiO2 thin films with different top electrodes were investigated. The devices had typical bipolar resistive switching behaviors. The resistance changed from a high-resistance state (low-resistance state) to a low-resistance state (high-resistance state) under positive (negative) sweeping voltage. The interface between the top electrode and the oxide layer could affect the resistive switching behaviors. The electrical properties of Metal/TiO2/Pt devices with different top electrodes showed different switching characteristics. The conduction mechanism of the devices was also investigated. In the low-resistance state, ohmic conduction was dominant. The conduction mechanism exhibited ohmic conduction at low voltages and space-charge-limited-conduction at high voltages in the devices of Cu/TiO2/Pt, Ni/TiO2/Pt and Al/TiO2/Pt, respectively. For Ta/TiO2/Pt Schottky conduction also played an important role.