Resistive Switching in Conductive-Bridging Random-Access Memory Structure with Nanocrystalline Silicon Films

In this work, intrinsic nanocrystalline silicon thin films were deposited on indium tin oxide/glass substrates by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition and used as a conduction material for conductive-bridging random-access memory devices. The resistive switching characteristics of nanocrystalline silicon thin films were investigated. Experimental results show a stable bipolar resistive switching of the nanocrystalline silicon films with a retention time of over 1 x 10(4) s. In addition, the current conduction mechanism of the nanocrystalline silicon films was examined by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy depth profiling and transmission electron microscopy analysis. Results clearly indicate that the conduction mechanism for resistive switching is the formation of metallic bridges due to the metal cation migration in the nanocrystalline silicon films. (C) 2013 The Japan Society of Applied Physics