Fabrication and Resistance-Switching Behaviors of NiO Thin Films by Thermal Oxidation of Evaporated Ni Films

Polycrystalline NiO thin films were fabricated on Pt (111)/Ti/SiO2/Si substrates by thermal oxidation of the evaporated Ni films. Pt/NiO/Pt structures were prepared, and they showed reversible resistance switching behaviors. When the compliance set current was varied from 5 mA to 40 mA, the on-state currents increased, while the on-state resistances decreased. It is probably attributed to higher current compliance resulted in the formation of stronger and less resistive filaments, which in turn need more energy and power for their rupture. The resistive switching in NiO thin films is closely related to the formation and rupture of conducting filaments.