Interfacial redox reactions associated ionic transport in oxide-based memories

As an alternative to transistor-based flash memories, redox reactions mediated resistive switches are considered as the most promising next-generation nonvolatile memories that combine the advantages of a simple metal/solid electrolyte (insulator)/metal structure, high scalability, low power consumption, and fast processing. For cation-based memories, the unavailability of in-built mobile cations in many solid electrolytes/insulators (e.g., Ta₂O₅, SiO₂, etc.) instigates the essential role of absorbed water in films to keep electroneutrality for redox reactions at counter electrodes. Herein, we demonstrate electrochemical characteristics (oxidation/ reduction reactions) of active electrodes (Ag and Cu) at the electrode/electrolyte interface and their subsequent ions transportation in Fe₃O₄ film by means of cyclic voltammetry measurements. By posing positive potentials on Ag/Cu active electrodes, Ag preferentially oxidized to Ag⁺, while Cu prefers to oxidize into Cu²⁺ first, followed by Cu/Cu⁺ oxidation. By sweeping the reverse potential, the oxidized ions can be subsequently reduced at the counter electrode. The results presented here provide a detailed understanding of the resistive switching phenomenon in Fe₃O₄-based memory cells. The results were further discussed on the basis of electrochemically assisted cations diffusions in the presence of absorbed surface water molecules in the film.