Unipolar resistive switching effect and mechanism of solution-processed spinel Co3O4 thin films

Abstract

Binary spinel Co3O4 thin films with smooth surface were fabricated by using chemical solution deposition method and unipolar resistive switching characteristics including set and reset switching voltages, low and high resistance ratio, cycling endurance, and retention time were investigated in the Pt/Co3O4/Pt sandwich structures. Through the analysis of conductive mechanism and temperature dependence of resistance states, it was suggested that Ohmic conduction behavior governed the carriers transport in low resistance state and Schottky emission dominated the conduction mechanism in high resistance state, respectively. Moreover, the switching mechanism was explained by the formation and rupture of conductive filament during the set and reset processes. This study suggests that the solution-processed spinel Co3O4 thin films could find potential application in nonvolatile resistive switching memory.