Relationship between Resistive Switching Effect and Secondary Electron Yield in Transition Metal Oxide Films

Abstract

Conductive atomic force microscope (C-AFM) writing is attracting attention as a technique which enables to clarify a switching mechanism of resistive random access memory (ReRAM) by providing a filament with large radius. We observed a C-AFM writing area of a NiO film using scanning electron microscope (SEM), and a correlation between contrast in a secondary electron image and a resistance written by C-AFM was confirmed. In addition, it was suggested that the resistance change effect occurred near the surface of the film. We also studied effects of a baking at low temperature and an electron irradiation with low electron energy on the resistance of the C-AFM writing area. As a result, it was suggested that the resistance change effect was caused by a defect-induced-distortion which is relaxed with low energy.