Fabrication and characterization of resistive random access memory (ReRAM) devices using molybdenum trioxide (MoO3) as switching layer

The present study reports on the fabrication of non-volatile resistive switching (RS) memory device using MoO3 layers. Using a spray pyrolysis technique, different thicknesses of MoO3 thin films were deposited upon glass substrates maintaining the substrate temperature at 673 K and the physical properties were investigated. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis elucidates that the thickness of the MoO3 thin films has a strong dependence on controlling the ratio of oxygen vacancy (VO) defects. Using MoO3 as an intermediate layer, the resistive switching characteristics of the ITO/MoO3/Ag devices were tested for 25 cycles. With an optimum thickness (similar to 614 nm) of the MoO3 switching layer, the device exhibits a large resistive switching loop area and a higher ON/OFF ratio value of 1.28. The role of thickness-controlled oxygen vacancy (VO) defects in MoO3 towards the formation/rupture of conductive filaments in the fabricated RS memory device were explored.