Effect of Mg content in Ag/Zn1-XMgXO/Cu structure for bipolar resistive switching performances

Functional Nanomaterials Research Lab, Department of Physics and Centre for Nanotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, Roorkee, Uttarakhand-247667, India

Adv. Mater. Lett., 2018, 9 (3), pp 153-157

DOI: 10.5185/amlett.2018.6952

Publication Date (Web): May 16, 2018

Copyright © IAAM-VBRI Press

E-mail: dkaurfph@gmail.com

Abstract

In this study, the bipolar resistive switching behavior of Pulsed Laser Deposited Zn_1-xMg_xO (x= 0, 0.1) thin films in Ag/Zn_1-XMg_xO/Cu structure has been investigated. The XRD pattern of Zn_1-XMg_xO exhibits the presence of (002) and (103) reflection. The cross-sectional field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) studies were further carried out to examine the thickness of the film. In order to analyze the bipolar resistive switching behavior of the Zn_1-xMg_xO thin films, an I-V measurement was performed at room temperature. The memory cell Ag/Zn_0.9Mg_0.1O/Cu exhibits set voltage (ON state) at 2.57V and reset voltage (OFF state) at -3.15 V, excellent OFF to ON resistance ratio (~10⁵) for 200 DC sweep cycles and exhibits good retention (>10³ s). The physical mechanism responsible for exhibiting switching behavior in the Zn_1-xMg_xO thin films was explained by formation and rupture of the nano-scale conduction filament due to Oxygen vacancies. Ohmic conduction and Poole-Frenkel emission are responsible for current conduction in Low Resistance State (LRS) and High Resistance State (HRS) regions respectively. Enhanced switching behavior is observed by substitution of Mg in ZnO thin film. Nonvolatile two resistance states of the Zn_1-XMg_xO thin film could prove useful in future power efficient memory devices. 

Keywords

Resistive switching, oxygen vacancy, compliance current, transition metal oxide, poole-frenkel.