Roles of silver oxide in the bipolar resistance switching devices with silver electrode

Three devices, Ag/WO3-x/Pt, Ag/AgOx/Pt, and Ag/AgOx/WO3-x/Pt, were investigated to elucidate the influence of the silver oxide on the bipolar resistive switching behavior. The silver oxide films were obtained by depositing silver at oxygen atmosphere. We find that the resistive switching behavior was determined by the silver oxide layer. Bulk and interface resistive switching were observed in the Ag/AgOx/Pt and Ag/AgOx/WO3-x/Pt devices, respectively. By the micro-x-ray photoemission spectroscopy analysis, it was demonstrated that the electrochemical redox reaction occurred in the AgOx layer is responsible for the resistive switching behavior at silver/oxide interface. (C) 2011 American Institute of Physics. [doi:10.1063/1.3556618]