Nonvolatile resistive switching in multiferroic YMnO3 thin films

Intensive research on multiferroic materials [1] is driven by the possibility of creating novel, miniaturized tunable multifunctional devices [2]. This work investigates resistive switching behavior of YMnO3 thin films, which can be utilized in new generation memory devices. Series of YMnO3 films were grown by pulsed laser deposition on Si substrates with Pt bottom electrode at temperatures varying between 500∘C and 850∘C. Characterization of as-grown samples by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy was followed by determination of electrical properties of films in metal-insulator-metal (MIM) configuration. Results showed that the YMnO3 films grown at 800∘C exhibit the best resistive switching properties with high resistance ratio (>10000) of high over low resistance state. Switching mechanism is ascribed to the structural transitions within the film upon applied current.
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[2] Y. Shuai, H. Schmidt et al., J. Appl. Phys. 109, 124117 (2011); J. Appl. Phys. 111, 07D906 (2012)