Negative Differential Resistance Behavior and Memory Effect in Laterally Bridged ZnO Nanorods Grown by Hydrothermal Method

Abstract

A novel memory device based on laterally bridged ZnO nanorods (NRs) in the opposite direction was fabricated by the hydrothermal growth method and characterized. The electrodes were defined by a simple photolithography method. This method has lower cost, simpler process, and higher reliability than the traditional focused ion beam lithography method. For the first time, the negative differential resistance and bistable unipolar resistive switching (RS) behavior in the current-voltage curve was observed at room temperature. The memory device is stable and rewritable; it has an ultra-low current level of about 1 × 10(-13) A in the high resistance state; and it is nonvolatile with an on-off current ratio of up to 1.56 × 10(6). Moreover, its peak-to-valley current ratio of negative differential resistance behavior is greater than 1.76 × 10(2). The negative differential resistance and RS behavior of this device may be related to the boundaries between the opposite bridged ZnO NRs. Specifically, the RS behavior found in ZnO NR devices with a remarkable isolated boundary at the NR/NR interface was discussed for the first time. The memory mechanism of laterally bridged ZnO NR-based devices has not been discussed in the literature yet. In this work, results show that laterally bridged ZnO NR-based devices may have next-generation resistive memories and nanoelectronic applications.

PMMA interlayer-modulated memory effects by space charge polarization in resistive switching based on CuSCN-nanopyramids/ZnO-nanorods p-n heterojunction

“…Due to the peculiar physical properties from confined dimensions, nanostructured ZnO has been extensively applied in optoelectronic and electronic devices, such as solar cells 18 19 20 21 22 , light emitting devices 23 24 , gas sensors 25 , and photodetectors 26 . Recently, nanostructured ZnO has attracted much attention as potential candidate for RS memory device as well 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 . For one-dimensional (1D) nanostructure ZnO-based RS memories, they generally have extreme properties with ultralow leakage current in HRS, large memory window, and low switching voltage 32 33 34 35 .…”

“…Recently, nanostructured ZnO has attracted much attention as potential candidate for RS memory device as well 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 . For one-dimensional (1D) nanostructure ZnO-based RS memories, they generally have extreme properties with ultralow leakage current in HRS, large memory window, and low switching voltage 32 33 34 35 . So far, polymers have been applied to the active layer in the RS devices 13 14 15 , but it is rarely to use the polymers to connect the two types of semiconductors as RS devices.…”

Well Oriented ZnO Nanorods Array: Negative Resistance and Optical Switching

“…For the first time, Chuang et al observed the negative differential resistance and bistable unipolar RS behavior in the I‐V characteristic at room temperature in laterally bridged ZnO NRs synthesized by hydrothermal route. Specifically, the RS behavior and memory mechanism in vertically aligned ZnO NR‐based devices with a remarkable separated boundary at the NR/NR interface was not discussed yet.…”

“…Recently, one‐dimensional (1D) ZnO nanomaterials (NMs) have been vastly studied because both their functional properties and highly controllable morphology make them central building blocks for understanding nanoscale phenomena and realizing nanoscale devices , . Owing to its specific optical and electrical properties due to high surface to volume ratio and quantum confinement effect, one‐dimensional ZnO nanomaterials have great potential applications in nanogenerators, photocatalysis, surface acoustic waveguides,, humidity sensors,, as well as in light‐emitting diode, sensors, solar cells,, photodetectors,, optical switches, field emission devices,, and resistive random access random memory . In addition, surface functionalization or by coupling the different properties of ZnO based semiconducting hybrids can expand the ZnO NMs applications.…”

“…High‐quality oriented ZnO NRs arrays are grown by different routes, such as the gas phase transport method, metal‐organic chemical vapor deposition, and hydrothermal technique , . ZnO generally has a strong tendency toward self‐assembled growth .…”