Premium
Controlled local filament growth and dissolution in Ag–Ge–Se
Author(s) -
Schindler Christina,
Szot Krzysztof,
Karthäuser Silvia,
Waser Rainer
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
physica status solidi (rrl) – rapid research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.786
H-Index - 68
eISSN - 1862-6270
pISSN - 1862-6254
DOI - 10.1002/pssr.200802054
Subject(s) - protein filament , dissolution , electrode , materials science , electrical conductor , electrolyte , conductivity , conductive atomic force microscopy , nanotechnology , electrical resistivity and conductivity , biasing , current (fluid) , analytical chemistry (journal) , voltage , optoelectronics , atomic force microscopy , composite material , chemical engineering , chemistry , electrical engineering , chromatography , engineering
Memory cells based on the cation migration and filament formation and rupture in a solid electrolyte have attracted much interest due to low switching voltages and a prospective high scalability. In this study we indirectly visualized the growth and dissolution of the conductive filament in Ag–Ge–Se samples with Ag bottom electrodes by surface analysis with Conductive Atomic Force Microscopy (CAFM). By application of a negative voltage to the inert CAFM tip, conductive filaments were grown on the scanned area and they were dissolved under reversed bias. The local conductivity changes directly corresponded to changes in the topography, i.e. to the filament protrusion and dissolution. Topography changes could be circumvented by limiting the maximum current. By placing the CAFM tip on a random spot on the sample, filaments with a diameter as low as 20 nm were grown by local current–voltage measurements. (© 2008 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)