Electrical switching in the CuO-ZnO-P2O5 glasses

A series of ternary CuO-ZnO-P2O5 glasses were prepared and their switching properties were investigated. The current-voltage characteristics showed that switching in these glasses was memory type. The threshold voltages of switching were found to decrease with an increase in temperature. On the other hand, the threshold voltages increased with an increase in CuO and with a decrease in ZnO content. The results obtained were explained on the basis of formation of crystalline conducting channels or phase transition from a disordered glassy state to an ordered crystalline state due to Joule heating.