Resistive Switching Properties of Highly Transparent SnO[2]:Fe

Abstract

Fe doped SnO2 transparent thin film nanostructures were grown by chemical solution deposition and its electric field induced resistive switching properties were investigated for non-volatile resistive random access memory (RRAM) applications. Simple, low temperature solution process growth of SnO2:Fe thin film nanostructures was employed. Grazing incidence X-ray diffraction (GIXRD) and atomic force microscopy (AFM), respectively, confirmed a phase pure cubic growth with mono-disperse nanocrystallites of ~ 20 nm. Sharp interface with substrate and top metal electrodes were achieved. Reproducible hysteresis in the I-V curves with symmetrical resistance switching ratio of more than 4 • 103 at a low operating voltage of ± 1.1 V has been demonstrated. Large values of memory retention of about 5 moths; confirmed the nonvolatile behaviour of the device cell consisting of Ag/SnO2:Fe/Ag planar structure. A mechanism involving the space charge limited current combined with Schottky conduction at the metal/oxide interface is proposed. A possible mechanism of the formation and rupture of conducting filament is proposed based on the Joule heating effect with external electron injection at the Ag/SnO2 interface.