Electrical switching behavior of bulk Cux(AsSe1.4I0.2)100−x glasses: Composition dependence and topological effects

The objective was to study the static current–voltage characteristics and electrical switching properties of the bulk metal chalcogenide glasses Cux(AsSe1.4I0.2)100−x (1≤x≤25). The obtained results clearly indicate that all the studied glasses exhibit current-controlled negative resistance behavior and memory switching. The composition dependence of the switching field (Eth) was found to decrease with the increase in copper content and a change in the slope occurs for the compositions with x=5 and 20. The slope change in Eth versus x was identified using two network topological effects, namely, the rigidity percolation threshold and the chemical threshold.

► Doping of chalcogenide glasses with Cu change electrical and switching properties.
► Bulk chalcogenide glasses Cux(AsSe1.4I0.2)100−x exhibit electrical switching.
► Relation between the electrical switching and the network topological thresholds.
► Rigidity percolation and chemical threshold affects switching parameters of glasses.