Interfacial layer assisted, forming free, and reliable bipolar resistive switching in solution processed BiFeO3 thin films

BiFeO3 based resistive random access memory (RRAM) devices are fabricated using a low-cost solution process to study the effect of an Al top electrode on switching behavior and reliability. Fabricated devices demonstrated bipolar switching characteristics with a moderate Ion/Ioff ratio, set and reset voltages of ∼−1.3 V and ∼0.8 V, DC and AC endurance of more than 250 cycles and 7100 cycles, respectively, and a retention time of over 104 s, confirming the non-volatile resistive switching behavior. The ohmic and trap filled space charge limited conduction dominates the conduction mechanism in the devices at lower and higher voltages, respectively. Moreover, impedance spectroscopy measurements substantiate the presence of an AlOx layer at the Al/BiFeO3 interface resulting from the Al–O interaction at the junction, which is the possible rationale of reliable complementary switching in these RRAM devices. The switching mechanism is elucidated using the formation and rupture of the oxygen vacancy mediated filament, assisted by the participation of a thin AlOx layer at the Al/BFO interface. The role of the thin AlOx layer is explained by modeling of impedances.