Study on the Electrical Conduction Mechanism of Unipolar Resistive Switching Prussian White Thin Films

Nanomaterials (Basel). 2022 Aug 22;12(16):2881. doi: 10.3390/nano12162881.

Abstract

The electrical conduction mechanism of resistive switching Prussian white (PW) thin films obtained by the electrodeposition method was examined by AC impedance spectroscopy and DC current-voltage measurements. Using an electrode tip to contact PW grown over Au, robust unipolar resistive switching was observed with a current change of up to three orders of magnitude, high repeatability, and reproducibility. Moreover, electrical impedance spectroscopy showed that the resistive switching comes from small conductive filaments formed by potassium ions before the establishment of larger conductive channels. Both voltammetry and EIS measurements suggest that the electrical properties and conductive filament formation are influenced by defects and ions present in the grain boundaries. Thus, PW is a potential material for the next generation of ReRAM devices.

Keywords: Prussian white; conductive filaments; electrical impedance spectroscopy; electrodeposition; resistive switching.