Bipolar resistive switching from liquid helium to room temperature

This article deals with the resistance switching mechanism observed in HfO 2 based resistive memories. The current voltages cycles are recorded for temperatures ranging from 4 to 300 K. The main result is that the switching mechanism is nearly temperature independent in the considered temperature domain. The on state conductance remains proportional to the compliance current. The experimental results are discussed with the help of a phenomenological model which is compared with the whole experimental data set. In the framework of this approach one found that the switching mechanism is mainly caused by the electromigration force and the Joule heating that controls the contention area in a conductive filament. The model reproduces the experimental data without assumptions on the role of oxygen atoms. An analytical expression of the on state conductance as a function of the compliance current is also given. The growth rate and the location of the contention as the conduction nature of both on and off states are discussed. The reset current variation as a function of the compliance current and the voltage sweep stop effect on the off state resistance are also discussed.