Multilevel resistive switching effect in sillenite structure Bi12TiO20 thin films

Multilevel resistive switching effect has been demonstrated in Pt/Bi12TiO20/Pt structures, in which the sillenite structure Bi12TiO20 thin films were prepared by a chemical solution deposition method. The non-volatile multilevel resistive switching can be easily realized by changing either the compliance current during set process or reset voltage during reset process. The Pt/Bi12TiO20/Pt devices show excellent switching parameters such as reproducible switching effect, low set/reset voltage, high cell yield, good endurance, and long retention time (up to 10(4) s). The dominated conduction mechanisms were Ohmic conduction in low resistance state (LRS) and lower voltage region of high resistance state (HRS), and Schottky emission in higher voltage region of HRS. In the reset process, the switching from LRS to HRS consists of two parts: an abrupt transition due to thermal effect and a gradual transition owing to electric field-induced migration of oxygen vacancies. On the basis of the measurements of the resistance-temperature dependence in different resistance states and analysis of current-voltage characteristics, we explained the resistive switching behavior using a conductive filament-related model. (C) 2014 AIP Publishing LLC.