Influence of the Cu-Te composition and microstructure on the resistive switching of Cu-Te/Al2O3/Si cells

In this letter, we explore the influence of the CuxTe1-x layer composition (0.2 < x < 0.8) on the resistive switching of CuxTe1−x/Al2O3/Si cells. While x > 0.7 leads to large reset power, similar to pure-Cu electrodes, x < 0.3 results in volatile forming properties. The intermediate range 0.5 < x < 0.7 shows optimum memory properties, featuring improved control of filament programming using <5 μA as well as state stability at 85 °C. The composition-dependent programming control and filament stability are closely associated with the phases in the CuxTe1−x layer and are explained as related to the chemical affinity between Cu and Te.