Temperature dependence of current-voltage characteristics of Ag-La0.7Ca0.3MnO3-Pt heterostructures

Temperature dependence of the current-voltage characteristics of Ag-La0.7Ca0.3MnO3-Pt heterostructures was investigated and the related current conduction mechanism was discussed. Poole-Frenkel emission and trap-controlled space charge limited current mechanisms are employed to explain the carrier transport at low and high temperature regions, respectively. Obvious hysteresis is observed only in the region dominated by space charge limited current with traps exponentially distributed in energy. This can be explained by the retention behavior of trapped carriers at the Ag/La0.7Ca0.3MnO3 interface layer. It is proposed that the resistance switching can be optimized for device application by the electrode/film interface defect engineering. (c) 2006 American Institute of Physics.