Title: Separation of current density and electric field domains caused by nonlinear electronic instabilities

Journal Article · · Nature Communications
 [1];  [2]
  1. Hewlett Packard Labs, Palo Alto, CA (United States); DOE/OSTI
  2. Hewlett Packard Labs, Palo Alto, CA (United States)

In 1963 Ridley postulated that under certain bias conditions circuit elements exhibiting a current- or voltage-controlled negative differential resistance will separate into coexisting domains with different current densities or electric fields, respectively, in a process similar to spinodal decomposition of a homogeneous liquid or disproportionation of a metastable chemical compound. The ensuing debate, however, failed to agree on the existence or causes of such electronic decomposition. Using thermal and chemical spectro-microscopy, we directly imaged signatures of current-density and electric-field domains in several metal oxides. The concept of local activity successfully predicts initiation and occurrence of spontaneous electronic decomposition, accompanied by a reduction in internal energy, despite unchanged power input and heat output. This reveals a thermodynamic constraint required to properly model nonlinear circuit elements. Our results explain the electroforming process that initiates information storage via resistance switching in metal oxides and has significant implications for improving neuromorphic computing based on nonlinear dynamical devices.

Research Organization:
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States). Advanced Light Source (ALS)
Sponsoring Organization:
Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity (IARPA); Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI); USDOE Office of Science (SC)
Grant/Contract Number:
AC02-05CH11231
OSTI ID:
1624097
Journal Information:
Nature Communications, Journal Name: Nature Communications Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 9; ISSN 2041-1723
Publisher:
Nature Publishing GroupCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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Spontaneous current constriction in threshold switching devices journal April 2019
Origin of Current‐Controlled Negative Differential Resistance Modes and the Emergence of Composite Characteristics with High Complexity journal August 2019
Low‐Conductance and Multilevel CMOS‐Integrated Nanoscale Oxide Memristors journal November 2018
Stable Metallic Enrichment in Conductive Filaments in TaO x ‐Based Resistive Switches Arising from Competing Diffusive Fluxes journal April 2019
Spontaneous current constriction in threshold switching devices journal April 2019
Subthreshold firing in Mott nanodevices journal May 2019
Summary of the Faraday Discussion on New memory paradigms: memristive phenomena and neuromorphic applications journal January 2019
Intrinsic limits of leakage current in self-heating-triggered threshold switches journal May 2019