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Chainlike SiC/SiOx heterojunctions were prepared on a silicon wafer by a simplified catalyst-free thermal chemical vapour deposition method.

A bias polarity-manipulated transformation from filamentary to homogeneous resistive switching was demonstrated on a Pt/ZnO thin film/Pt device. Two types of switching behaviors, exhibiting different resistive switching characteristics and memory performances were investigated in detail. The detailed transformation mechanisms are systematically proposed. By controlling different compliance currents and RESET-stop voltages, controllable multistate resistances in low resistance states and a high resistance states in the ZnO thin film metal-insulator-metal structure under the homogeneous resistive switching were demonstrated. We believe that findings would open up opportunities to explore the resistive switching mechanisms and performance memristor with multistate storage.

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We present a ZnO(1-x) nanorod array (NR)/ZnO thin film (TF) bilayer structure synthesized at a low temperature, exhibiting a uniquely rectifying characteristic as a homojunction diode and a resistive switching behavior as memory at different biases. The homojunction diode is due to asymmetric Schottky barriers at interfaces of the Pt/ZnO NRs and the ZnO TF/Pt, respectively. The ZnO(1-x) NRs/ZnO TF bilayer structure also shows an excellent resistive switching behavior, including a reduced operation power and enhanced performances resulting from supplements of confined oxygen vacancies by the ZnO(1-x) NRs for rupture and recovery of conducting filaments inside the ZnO TF layer. A hydrophobic behavior with a contact angle of ~125° can be found on the ZnO(1-x) NRs/ZnO TF bilayer structure, demonstrating a self-cleaning effect. Finally, a successful demonstration of complementary 1D1R configurations can be achieved by simply connecting two identical devices back to back in series, realizing the possibility of a low-temperature all-ZnO-based memory system.

The effective separation of photogenerated carriers plays a vital role in photocatalytic reactions. In addition to the intrinsic driving force of photocatalysis, an external field generating an enhancement effect can provide extra energy to the photocatalytic system, acting as an additional impetus to separate photogenerated charges and thus improving the overall catalytic efficiency. Under the favorable noncontact conditions, exploring the effect of the external field, different from pure photocatalysis or photoelectrocatalysis, could widen the applications of photocatalysis technology. In this review, four typical noncontact external fields (i.e., thermal, magnetic, microwave, and ultrasonic fields) and their coupling effects on photocatalysis are summarized. Specifically, the review focuses on the mechanism and characteristics of each external field’s synergistic effect and their coupling effects on the performance of the catalytic system. The charge separation driving forces provided by the noncontact external field and the traditional one are distinguished and defined for the first time. The challenges and future prospects of noncontact external-field-driven photocatalysis are discussed. We hope that this review will provide a reference for the research and development of external-field-assisted photocatalysis and give insights for the in-depth study of external-field-coupling-enhanced photocatalysis toward improvement of the catalytic efficiency.

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CuOx nanowires were synthesized by a low-cost and large-scale electrochemical process with AAO membranes at room temperature and its resistive switching has been demonstrated. The switching characteristic exhibits forming-free and low electric-field switching operation due to coexistence of significant amount of defects and Cu nanocrystals in the partially oxidized nanowires. The detailed resistive switching characteristics of CuOx nanowire systems have been investigated and possible switching mechanisms are systematically proposed based on the microstructural and chemical analysis via transmission electron microscopy.