Effects of Monopolar Resistive Switching in Thin Diamond-Like Carbon Layers

JETP Letters - The current-voltage characteristics have been studied for Pt/diamond-like C/Pt structures based on thin (20 nm) diamond-like carbon layers, in which the ratio between carbon phases...     

Conductivity and barrier effects in thin-film PZT-based heterostructures, depending on the conditions of synthesis

Electrical conductivity and dielectric characteristics in Pt/Pb(Zr_0.54,Ti_0.46)O₃/Pt film structures synthesized at different temperatures are studied. Volt-ampere (I–V) and volt-farad (C–V) characteristics are obtained. Asymmetry of the I–V characteristics is revealed, indicating a difference in the potential barriers at the interfaces of the analyzed structures that varies depending on the synthesis conditions. The values of the potential barriers at the Pt/PZT interfaces were calculated from the C–V characteristics. Two key conductivity mechanisms, Ohmic and Poole-Frenkel emission, were noted.     

Electrical Conductivity and Barrier Properties of Lithium Niobate Thin Films

The thin-film structures made of LiNbO₃ and obtained via laser ablation and magnetron sputtering are studied with volt-farad and volt-ampere characteristics. A potential barrier on the Si–LiNbO₃ interface was found for both types of the films with the capacitance-voltage characteristics. The current-voltage characteristics showed that there are several conduction mechanisms in the structures studied. The Poole–Frenkel effect and the currents limited by a space charge mainly contribute to the electrical conductivity in the LiNbO₃ film produced with the laser ablation method. The currents limited by a space charge contribute to the main mechanism in the film heterostructure obtained with the magnetron sputtering method.     

Organic light-emitting diodes based on polyvinylcarbazole films doped with polymer nanoparticles

The optical and electrical properties of light-emitting diode structures with an active layer based on nanocomposite polyvinylcarbazole (PVK) films doped with nanoparticles of another light-emitting polymer, MEH-PPV, have been studied. It has been established that the size of MEH-PPV particles in the PVK matrix is of the order of 100 nm. The spectral range of photoluminescence of such structures can be changed by varying the ratio of PVK to MEH-PPV. The current-voltage characteristics of composite light-emitting diodes based on PVK: MEH-PPV films indicate p-type conductivity. It has been shown that a decrease in the MEH-PPV nanoparticle concentration in the PVK matrix shifts the threshold values of the bias for the onset of electroluminescence toward smaller values and makes the photoluminescence and electroluminescence spectra more similar to the spectrum of the white light-emitting diode. The influence of the form of the polymer and polymer nanoparticles on the mechanisms of injection and transport of charge carriers and the radiative recombination in the studied structures has been discussed.     

Resistive switching in Au/TiO2/Pt thin film structures on silicon

The conditions and mechanisms of preliminary treatment in strong electric fields (forming) and subsequent resistive switching in Au/TiO₂/Pt thin-film structures on silicon were investigated. The thin TiO₂ films in these structures were prepared by different methods, namely, vacuum evaporation of metallic titanium followed by thermal oxidation in air and radio-frequency cathode sputtering of titanium dioxide from a powder target. The current-voltage and voltage-capacitance characteristics of the structures, as well as the dependences of their conductivity on the time of exposure to a dc voltage of different polarities and on the temperature were measured. The data obtained permitted the conclusion that the physical mechanism underlying the forming process consists in a sharp increase in the density of surface states in TiO₂ films due to the electric breakdown of the Schottky barrier at the contact with the platinum electrode, whereas the resistive switching of the structures is governed by the variation in the population of surface states in the TiO₂ band gap and/or in the defect concentration in the barrier region of the structures acted upon by voltage pulses of different polarities.     

Electrical and optical properties of light-emitting field-effect transistors based on MEH-PPV polymer composite films with ZnO nanoparticles

The optical and electrical properties of light-emitting field-effect transistor structures with an active layer based on nanocomposite films containing zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles dispersed in the matrix of the soluble conjugated polymer MEH-PPV have been investigated. It has been found that the current-voltage characteristics of the field-effect transistor based on MEH-PPV: ZnO films with a composite component ratio of 2: 1 have an ambipolar character, and the mobilities of electrons and holes in these structures at a temperature of 300 K reach high values up to ～1.2 and ～1.4 cm²/V s, respectively, which are close to the mobilities in fieldeffect transistors based on ZnO films. It has been shown that the ambipolar field-effect transistor based on MEH-PPV: ZnO films emits light at both positive and negative gate bias voltages. The mechanisms of injection, charge carrier transport, and radiative recombination in the studied structures have been discussed.     

Photosensitive field-effect transistor based on a composite film of polyvinylcarbazole with nickel nanoparticles

The electronic and optoelectronic properties of field-effect transistor structures with an active layer based on composite films of a semiconducting polymer, namely, polyvinylcarbazole (PVC), with nickel nanoparticles have been investigated. It has been shown that these structures at low nickel concentrations (5–10 wt %) possess current-voltage characteristics that indicate an ambipolar transport. For the field-effect transistor structures based on PVC: Ni (Ni ～ 5 wt %) films, the mobilities of electrons and holes are found to be ～1.3 and ～1.9 cm²/V s, respectively. It has been established that the photosensitivity observed in these structures is associated with the specific features of transport in the film of the polymer with nickel nanoparticles. The mechanism of this transport is determined by the modulation of electrical conductivity of the working channel of the field-effect transistor by applying a combination of incident light and gate voltages.     

ZnO薄膜肖特基二极管的研制

采用直流反应磁控溅射的方法,在Al/Si(100)衬底上沉积了ZnO晶体薄膜.利用Al和Pt作为与ZnO接触的欧姆电极与肖特基电极,制作了ZnO薄膜肖特基二极管.X射线衍射测试结果表明ZnO薄膜具有高度的c轴择优取向.原子力显微分析表明:样品表面光洁平整,晶粒尺寸约100nm,扩展电阻分析表明ZnO薄膜的厚度为0.4μm,载流子浓度为1.8×1015 cm-3,此后的霍尔测试证实了这一结果并说明ZnO的导电类型为n型.室温下的I-V测试显示ZnO肖特基二极管具有明显的整流特性.Pt与n型ZnO接触的势垒高度为0.54eV.文中的ZnO肖特基二极管为首次研制的原型器件,其性能可以通过器件结构与制作工艺的进一步优化而得到改善.     

具有分离门电抽运石墨烯中电子-空穴等离子体的冷却效应

本文研究了室温条件下具有分离门的电诱导石墨烯n-i-p结构中, 与电子和空穴注入有关的粒子数反转效应. 考虑n区横向电场的屏栅效应, 计算了电子-空穴的有效温度与门电压以及光声子的有效温度与门电压的关系, 结果表明注入可以导致n区中电子-空穴等离子体显著冷却, 直至低于晶格温度; 计算了电流-电压特性以及与频率有关的动态电导率, 在一定的电压下, 动态电导率在太赫兹频段可以为负值. 研究表明电子-空穴等离子体冷却能够加强负动态电导率效应, 提高实现太赫兹激射的可行性. 关键词： 石墨烯 n-i-p结构 有效温度 动态电导率     

Field electron emission form single-walled carbon nanotubes with deposited cesium atoms

It has been found that deposition g of cesium atoms on single-walled carbon nanotubes covered with potassium atoms not only drastically increases emission current but also considerably changes the shape of current-voltage characteristics of field electron emission, namely, the characteristics become nonlinear in Fowler-Nordheim coordinates. It has been assumed that this effect is associated with the fact that field electron emission in these layers comes from single-walled carbon nanotubes, which have p-type conductivity after potassium treatment, while deposition of cesium leads to the formation of p-n junctions near nanotube tips. Part of the applied voltage drops in p-n junction, thus causing a nonlinearity of current-voltage characteristics.     

Experimental investigation of emission inhomogeneity of gyrotron cathodes basing on their current-voltage characteristics

A scheme for automatic measurement of current-voltage characteristic of gyroresonance devices has been developed. Efficient emission inhomogeneity of cathode in powerful gyrotrons has been studied basing on analysis of current-voltage characteristics. Experimental data on the parameter of efficient emission inhomogeneity for different regimes are presented, as well as the estimate for admissible efficient inhomogeneity of the cathode for powerful gyrotrons and the dependence of electron beam parameters on efficient inhomogeneity of the cathode. A method of complex measurements is proposed, which makes it possible to judge about the contribution of different physical mechanisms into emission inhomogeneity of the cathode.     

Quantum oscillations of the critical current of asymmetric superconducting rings

The current-voltage characteristics and the magnetic field dependences of the critical current have been measured for symmetric and asymmetric superconducting rings and systems of such rings. The dependences obtained explain the periodic change in the rectified voltage observed on asymmetric rings as a result of a periodic change in the asymmetry of current-voltage characteristics.     

Oxygen deficiency effect on resistive switching characteristics of copper oxide thin films

In this Letter, bilayered Cu₂O/CuO thin films were grown on Nb doped SrTiO₃ (Nb:STO) substrates by plasma assisted molecular beam epitaxy. The current-voltage characteristics of Pt/Cu₂O/CuO/Nb:STO devices show reproducible and pronounced current-voltage hysteresis which was induced by the CuO/Nb:STO junctions. By comparing the current-voltage curves of the bilayered and single-layered CuO thin films, we attribute the prominent switching behavior to the oxygen-vacancies-mediated-carriers-trapped-detrapped process with the aid of the applied forward (reversed) bias voltage.     

Zur protonischen Leitfähigkeit von Eis-Einkristallen bei tiefen Temperaturen und hohen Feldstärken

In the course of an investigation of the electrical conductivity of ice single crystals a technique was developed for achieving electric fields of 450 kV/cm at low temperatures. Protons were injected into the sample from specially designed Pd electrodes. TheI – V (current-voltage) characteristics were found to resemble those due to space-charge limited currents which are well known inelectronic semiconductors. The concentration and depth of proton-traps, and the temperature dependence of the proton mobility were studied over a temperature range with a lower limit of 77°K. On the basis of these observations a number of mechanisms are proposed which contribute to the proton conductivity.     

Current layers and filaments in a semiconductor model with an impact ionization induced instability

Dissipative structures associated with an instability in a semiconductor far from equilibrium are studied. A generation-recombination mechanism, which effects anS-shaped current-voltage characteristics, is coupled to diffusion and drift of the electrons. The spectrum of linear recombination-diffusion modes is computed for the homogeneous steady state with negative differential conductivity. The obtained soft mode instability gives rise to the bifurcation of a family of transversally modulated inhomogeneous steady states and longitudinal travelling waves. The inhomogeneous steady states are calculated from the full nonlinear transport equations for plane and cylindrical geometries. They correspond to oscillatory and solitary concentration profiles, including depletion and accumulation layers and cylindrical filaments. Conditions for the formation of kink-shaped coexistence profiles are established in terms of equal area rules. The current-voltage characteristics are extended to include inhomogeneous current states. Nonequilibrium phase transitions between various branches of these characteristics are associated with switching through filamentation.     

On the possibility of developing thermoelectric sensors based on multielement higher manganese silicide film structures

The possibility of designing thermoelectric sensors based on multielement structures of higher manganese silicide (HMS) polycrystalline films is considered. Test structures with various configurations are developed for studying electrical and thermoelectric parameters of polycrystalline HMS films. The geometrical sizes of the elements of test structures are chosen to match the grain size in polycrystalline HMS films. The test structures are prepared using the planar silicon technology. In these structures, the current-voltage characteristics, Hall constant, charge carrier concentration, and mobility are measured. The thermopower (α) and electrical conductivity (σ) are studied in a temperature range of T = 77–600 K, where α > 250 μV/K and electrical conductivity σ ∼ 20 (Ω cm)⁻¹. It is shown that the sensitivity and thermopowers increase upon a decrease in the cross-sectional area of the elements.     

Metal-insulator phase transition and electrical switching in manganese dioxide

A complex investigation of the ac and dc electrical conductivities of the β phase of manganese dioxide has been performed in relation to its atomic structure. The change of conductivity mechanisms depending on temperature in a range of 450–25 K has been shown and the metal-insulator phase transition at low (<90 K) temperatures has been described. The specific feature of this transition by the Mott mechanism is that the metal phase exists at low temperatures, while at higher temperatures, the material manifests semiconductor properties. The low-temperature switching effect with a negative differential conductivity and an N-like current-voltage characteristic associated with the phase transition in manganese dioxide has been found.     

Features of current transfer in variable band-gap structures

Features of current transfer in variable band-gap structures with impurity and intrinsic conductivities are investigated using numerical modelling. It is shown that in impurity-variable band-gap structures, the flow of current is accompanied by distributed injection and extraction phenomena which lead to the formation of nonlinear and asymmetrical current-voltage characteristics. In the case of variable band-gap structures with intrinsic conductivity, the redistribution of the carriers is only slight, and the current-voltage characteristic is close to ohmic.Institute of Applied Physics, Iv. Franko L'vov State University. Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Fizika, No. 9, pp. 25–29, September, 1994.     

Optical and electrophysical properties of nanocomposites based on PEDOT: PSS and gold/silver nanoparticles

The absorption spectra in the visible region and current-voltage characteristics in a wide range of electric fields have been investigated at the macroscopic level (planar structures) and at the microscopic level (using a conductive atomic force microscope) in films based on the electroactive polymer PEDOT: PSS and gold/silver nanoparticles (PEDOT: PSS + Au/AgNP). It has been shown that the behavior of the current-voltage characteristics of the nanocomposite films depends significantly on the electric field strength. It has been found that the introduction of gold nanoparticles into PEDOT: PSS in weak electric fields leads to an increase in the bulk conductance by almost two orders of magnitude (due to donor-acceptor interactions), a 50% decrease in the conduction activation energy, and an increase in the sensitivity to adsorbed oxygen. It has been demonstrated that electrical conduction of PEDOT: PSS + AuNP films is provided by hopping charge transfer both in the system of intrinsic localized states and in the system of impurity states of adsorbed oxygen. In strong electric fields, the current-voltage characteristics exhibit a different behavior in the forward and reverse scanning modes.     

Conduction mechanism of metal-TiO2–Si structures

The conduction model has been proposed for the metal-TiO₂–Si (MIS) structures. Rutile films have been prepared on Si substrates by magnetron sputtering of TiO₂ target and annealing in the air at temperatures T?=?800 and 1050 K. The current-voltage (CVC) and capacitance-voltage characteristics of the structures have been measured over the range of T?=?283–363 K. At positive potentials on the gate, the conductivity of the MIS structures is determined by the space charge-limited current in the dielectric layer.