A novel structure ZnO-Fe-ZnO thin film memristor

The memristor behavior of thin films having a multilayer Pt/ZnO/Fe/ZnO/ITO structure, deposited using RF/DC magnetron sputtering, was studied. The iron layer between the ZnO layers facilitates the change in the resistance of the device through the oxidation of the iron at the ZnO/Fe interface, thus generating oxygen vacancies and providing electrons from the redox reaction between γ-Fe2O3 and Fe3O4. The main mechanisms of conduction include Poole-Frenkel emission and Fowler-Nordhein tunneling with the ion migration, oxygen vacancies, and redox reactions of iron oxides (γ-Fe2O3 and Fe3O4). The response of the device to sequential voltage pulses in terms of variation in resistance, RERASE/RWRITE ratio, retention time, and control of the resistance state, through control of the applied voltage, was also evaluated.