Influence of Bias-Induced Copper Diffusion on the Resistive Switching Characteristics of a SiON Thin Film

Abstract
This article investigates the resistance switching behaviors of a device with a structure. By inserting a Cu ultrathin film between the SiON layer and the Pt top electrode, the device exhibits bipolar resistive switching characteristics after a forming process at . However, the forming and resistive switching process cannot be observed in the device if the Cu thin film is omitted. Additionally, we employ a two-step forming process to reduce the forming voltage to . The proposed device also demonstrates stable resistance states during cycling bias pulse operations and acceptable retention characteristics after an endurance test at .