Model of current-limited negative differential resistance in oxide-based resistance-switching devices

•Resistance-switching devices exhibit negative differential resistance (NDR).•During NDR, voltage is transferred to the current-limiting device.•The degree of the voltage transfer depends on the current compliance.

Resistance-switching devices such as resistive random access memories (RRAMs) exhibit the ability to rapidly reduce resistance upon exceeding a threshold voltage, as part of the SET operation. For oxide-based RRAMs, the progressive generation of defects during SET requires strict regulation of the current, e.g., by a transistor, in order to avoid irreversible breakdown. In doing so, the current-limiting device itself takes some voltage burden. The observed negative differential resistance for both the initial (forming) and regular SET operations can be analytically explained with a basic circuit model for the current-limited switching element, linking the voltage transfer to the current-limiting device with the degree of current rise. Consequently, it is found that RRAM operation current is a vital consideration for the reliability of the current-limiting device.