Intrinsic resistive switching and memory effects in silicon oxide

Resistive switching behaviors are described in silicon oxide (SiO _x ) systems employing vertical E/SiO _x /E (E denotes the electrode) structures. The switching is largely independent of the electrode material and attributed to the intrinsic properties of SiO _x . Based on the recent experimental observation (Yao et al. in Nano Lett. 10:4105, 2010) of a silicon filament embedded in the SiO _x matrix, we further discuss the switching mechanism in light of the measured electrical phenomena. The set voltages are largely SiO _x -thickness independent, consistent with the mechanistic picture of point switching in the silicon filament. The multi-state switching and shifts in the set voltages with respect to the reset voltages are consistent with an electrochemical redox process (Si ↔ SiO _y ) at the switching site.