Resistive switching phenomena in TiOx nanoparticle layers for memory applications

Abstract

Electrical characteristics of a Co/ TiOx/Co resistive memory device, fabricated by two different methods, are reported. In addition to crystalline TiO2 layers fabricated via conventional atomic layer deposition (ALD), an alternative method has been examined, where TiOx nanoparticle layers were fabricated via sol-gel. The different devices have shown different hysteresis loops with a unique crossing point for the sol-gel devices. A simple qualitative model is introduced to describe the different current-voltage behaviours by suggesting only one active metal-oxide interface for the ALD devices and two active metal-oxide interfaces for the sol-gel devices. Furthermore, we show that the resistive switching behaviour could be easily tuned by proper interface engineering and that despite having a similar active material, different fabrication methods can lead to dissimilar resistive switching properties.