Resistive Switching Behavior of Si/TiO Thin Films for Non-Volatile Memory Applications
Abstract
This study presents the fabrication of Si/TiO thin films deposited in DC mode via magnetron sputtering onto p-type silicon substrates and investigates their temperature-dependent resistive switching (RS) and low-resistance state (LRS) characteristics. The nanostructures were annealed at 420°C to improve crystallinity and interfacial contact. Electrical characterization through I–V measurements revealed clear bipolar RS behavior without the need for an initial forming process. The devices exhibited stable high-resistance (HRS) and low-resistance (LRS) states over multiple cycles. The switching mechanism is explained by the formation and rupture of conductive filaments induced by oxygen vacancies at the Si/TiO interface. Bandgap values obtained from Tauc plots were approximately 3.24 eV for TiO and 3.41 eV for SnO₂. These results confirm that Si/TiO nanothin films are promising materials for next-generation fast, energy-efficient, and rewritable memory devices.
Downloads
References
D. Ielmini, “Resistive switching memories based on metal oxides: Mechanisms, reliability and scaling,” Semiconductor Science and Technology, 31(6), 063002 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1088/0268-1242/31/6/063002
B. Cao, H. Liu, T. Li, J. Gong, S. Zhang, and M.T. Dove, “Synthesis of composite films for ZnO-based memristors with superior stability,” Materials Research Express, 11, 056302 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1088/2053-1591/ad4777
P.D. Walke, et al., “Memristive Devices from CuO Nanoparticles,” Nanomaterials, 10(9), 1677 (2020). https://doi.org/10.3390/nano10091677
P.A. Hind, P. Kumar, U.K. Goutam, and B.V. Rajendra, “Impact of deposition temperature on persistent photoconductivity of SnO₂ thin films deposited using spray pyrolysis technique suitable in optoelectronic synaptic devices,” Optical Materials, 146, 115579 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.optmat.2024.115579
N.U. Rehman, R. Khan, N. Rahman, I. Ahmad, A. Ullah, M. Sohail, S. Iqbal, et al., “Dual-doped ZnO-based magnetic semiconductor resistive switching response for memristor-based technologies,” Journal of Materials Science: Materials in Electronics, 35, 1557 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10854-024-13318-5
R. Pant, N. Patel, K.K. Nanda, and S.B. Krupanidhi, “Negative differential resistance and resistive switching in SnO₂/ZnO interface,” Journal of Applied Physics, 122(12), (2017). https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5004969
I. Kars, S.Ş. Çetin, B. Kinaci, B. Sarikavak, A. Bengi, H. Altuntaş, M.K. Öztürk, and S. Özçelik, “Influence of thermal annealing onthe structure and optical properties of d.c. magnetron sputteredtitanium dioxide thin films,” Surf Interface Anal. 42, 1247 1251 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1002/sia.3373
S. Saha, et al. “Experimental demonstration of SnO₂ nanofiber-based memristors and their data-driven modeling for nanoelectronic applications,” Chip, 2, 100075 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chip.2023.100075
J.X. Murodov, Sh.U. Yuldashev, M.S. Mirkamilova, and U.E. Jurayev, “Tunable Negative Differential Resistance in SnO₂:Co Memristors on p-Si,” East European Journal of Physics, (2), 211-214 (2025). https://doi.org/10.26565/2312-4334-2025-2-22
A. Arslanov, Sh. Yuldashev, N. Botirova, R. Nusretov, J. Murodov, and J. Xudoyqulov, “Impact of precursor molar concentration on the structural and optical properties of ZnO thin films synthesized by ultrasonic spray pyrolysis,” Physical Science International Journal, 29(1), 29–35 (2025). https://doi.org/10.9734/psij/2025/v29i1871
P. Chowdhury, H.C. Barshilia, N. Selvakumar, B. Deepthi, K.S. Rajam, A.R. Chaudhuri, and S.B. Krupanidhi, “The structural and electrical properties of TiO2 thin films prepared by thermal oxidation,” Phys. B Condens. Matter. 403, 3718–3723 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physb.2008.06.02
D. Regonini, V. Adamaki, C.R. Bowen, S.R. Pennock, J. Taylor, and A.C.E. Dent, “AC electrical properties of TiO2 and Magnéli phases, TinO2n-1,” Solid State Ionics, 229, 38–44 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssi.2012.10.003
Y. Le Page, and P. Strobel, “Structural chemistry of the Magnéli phases TinO2n-1, 4 ≤ n ≤ 9. II. Refinements and structural discussion,” J. Solid State Chem. 44, 273–281 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1016/0022-4596(82)90374-7
L. Liborio, and N. Harrison, “Thermodynamics of oxygen-defective Magnéli phases in rutile: a first-principles study,” Phys. Rev. B, 77, 1–10 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.77.104104
Y. Abbas, I.S. Han, A.S. Sokolov, Y.R. Jeon, and C. Choi, “Rapid thermal annealing on the atomic layer-deposited zirconia thin filmto enhance resistive switching characteristics,” J. Mater. Sci. Mater. Electron. 31, 903–909 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10854-019-02598-x
X.Y. Yang, Y.K. Zhu, H. Miura, and T. Sakai, “Static recrystallization behavior of hot-deformed magnesium alloy AZ31 during isothermal annealing,” Trans. Nonferrous Met. Soc. China. 20, 1269–1274 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1016/S1003-6326(09)60289-2
M. Tian, M. Mahjouri-Samani, K. Wang, A.A. Puretzky, D.B. Geohegan, W.D. Tennyson, N. Cross, et al., “Black anatase formation by annealing of amorphous nanoparticles and the role of the Ti2O3 shell in self-organized crystallization by particle attachment,” ACS Appl Mater. Interfaces, 9, 22018–22025 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1021/acsami.7b02764
Z.N. Jameel, A.J. Haider, and S.Y. Taha, “Synthesis of TiO2 nanoparticles by using sol-gel method and its applications as antibacterial agents,” Eng. Tech. J. 32, 418–426 (2014). https://doi.org/10.30684/etj.32.3B.4
N. Gergel-Hackett, B. Hamadani, B. Dunlap, J. Suehle, S. Member, C. Richter, S. Member, et al., “A flexible solution-processed memristor,” IEEE Electron Device Lett. 30, 706–708 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1109/LED.2009.202141
K.N. Pham, V.D. Hoang, C.V. Tran, and B.T. Phan, “TiO2 thin filmbased transparent flexible resistive switching random access memory,” Adv. Nat. Sci. Nanosci. Nanotechnol. 7, (2016). https://doi.org/10.1088/2043-6262/7/1/015017
C. Ye, T. Deng, J. Zhang, L. Shen, P. He, W. Wei, and H. Wang, “Enhanced resistive switching performance for bilayer HfO2/TiO2resistive random access memory,” Semicond. Sci. Technol. 31, 1–7 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1088/0268-1242/31/10/105005
C.H. Huang, T.S. Chou, J.S. Huang, S.M. Lin, and Y.L. Chueh, “Self-selecting resistive switching scheme using TiO2 nanorod arrays,” Sci. Rep. 7, 1–9 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-01354-7
Copyright (c) 2026 Muradulla T. Normurodov, Odil Ochilov, Ozodbek Y. Yuldashev, Zarnigor A. Karshieva, Nurbek U. Toshboyev
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
- Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgment of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgment of its initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).
