Application of numerical simulation in investigation of memristor structures based on oxides and chalcogenides

Abstract

Models that describe bipolar resistive switching in planar microstructures based on oxide compounds (Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+x, Nd2-xCexCuO4-y) and bismuth selenide are considered. Metal-isolator-metal planar-type meristor heterostructures were investigated, in which the micro-size is formed by an electrode whose diameter is much smaller than the total size of the structure (it can be both Chervinsky-type microjunctions and film electric electrodes). Another important feature of these heterostructures is the presence of a surface layer several tens of nanometers thick with specific conductivity significantly reduced relative to volume. The change in the resistive properties of such heterostructures is caused by the formation or destruction of the conductive channel through the above-mentioned layer. Numerical simulation has shown that the bipolar resistive switching is significantly influenced by the electrical field distribution topology. A “critical field” model is proposed to describe experimentally observed memristor effects in investigated heterostructures. In this model it is assumed that the change in specific conductivity occurs in those parts of the surface layer where the electric field strength exceeds some critical value. The model of the “critical field” is based on the numerical calculation of the distribution of electrical potential on the distribution of specific conductivity in the structure. In addition, the model allowing to analyze the influence of electrodiffusion of oxygen ions on resistive switching in heterostructures based on Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+x is considered. At numerical realization of the models a combination of the integro-differential approximation of the differential equations, the multi-grid approach for localization of heterogeneities of physical characteristics, the iterative decomposition method and composite adaptive meshes was used. It allowed tracking the processes under investigation with necessary accuracy. The comparison of simulation results with experimental data is presented.