Abstract:
The electroforming and resistive switching in a thin yttria stabilized zirconia film on a conducting substrate were studied by Contact Capacitance Atomic Force Microscopy. During the linear sweep of the voltage between the probe and the substrate, a nonlinear increase in the probe-to-sample capacitance was observed. The effect was associated with the formation of a cluster of oxygen vacancies (or conducting filament) in the dielectric layer under the probe. During subsequent cyclic switching under a sawtooth voltage, a cyclic increase and decrease in the probe-to-sample capacitance were observed, associated with corresponding changes in the filament size in the electric field between the probe and the substrate. The results of the present work demonstrate the capabilities of Contact Capacitance Atomic Force Microscopy for studying the dynamics of filaments during resistive switching in oxide films. Keywords: memristor, resistive switching, filament, Contact Capacitance Atomic Force Microscopy, yttria stabilized zirconia.
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