Forming-free resistive switching in a nanoporous nitrogen-doped carbon thin film with ready-made metal nanofilaments

An amorphous carbon thin film, with through-pores of several tens of nanometers in size, has been synthesized by annealing magnetron sputtered nitrogen-doped carbon thin films at elevated temperature in an inert atmosphere. Based on this nanoporous carbon film, we first report forming-free resistive switching in a two terminal device containing ready-made metal nanofilaments. Such nanoporous carbon-based resistance memory device shows low operation voltages and good endurance and retention performance.