Occurrence of both unipolar memory and threshold resistance switching in a NiO film

Abstract

We observed two types of reversible resistance switching (RS) effects in a NiO film: memory RS at low temperature and threshold RS at high temperature. We were able to control the type of RS effects by thermal cycling. These phenomena were explained using a new dynamic percolation model that can describe the rupture and formation of conducting filaments. We showed that the RS effects are governed by the thermal stability of the filaments, which arise from competition between Joule heating and thermal dissipation. This work provides us understandings on basic mechanism of the RS effects and their interrelation. © 2009 The American Physical Society.