Resistive switching in rectifying interfaces of metal-semiconductor-metal structures

Abstract

We study the electrical characteristics of metal-semiconductor-metal HfO2_x-based devices where both metal-semiconductor interfaces present bipolar resistive switching. The device exhibits an unusual current-voltage hysteresis loop that arises from the non-trivial interplay of the switching interfaces. We propose an experimental method to disentangle the individual characteristics of each interface based on hysteresis switching loops. A mathematical framework based on simple assumptions allows us to rationalize the whole behavior of the device and reproduce the experimental current-voltage curves of devices with different metallic contacts. We show that each interface complementarily switches between a nonlinear metal-semiconductor interface and an ohmic contact.