First-principles modeling of resistance switching in perovskite oxide material

We report a first-principles study on SrRuO3/SrTiO3 interface in the presence of the oxygen vacancy. While the oxygen vacancy on the side of SrTiO3 significantly lowers the Schottky barrier height, the oxygen vacancy close to the interface or inside the metallic electrode results in a Schottky barrier comparable to that of the clean interface. Based on these results, we propose a model for resistance-switching phenomena in perovskite oxide/metal interfaces where electromigration of the oxygen vacancy plays a key role. Our model provides a consistent explanation of a recent experiment on resistance switching in SrRuO3/Nb:SrTiO3 interface. (c) 2006 American Institute of Physics.