Direct resistance profile for an electrical pulse induced resistance change device

Abstract

We report the direct microscale resistance profile measurements on a symmetric thin-film electrical pulse induced resistance change (EPIR) device composed of a Pa0.7Ca0.3MnO3 (PCMO) active layer, using surface scanning Kelvin probe microscopy. The resistance switching is found to be an integration of the resistance changes from three parts of the device: the two interface regions within ∼1–3μm of the electrical contacts, and the bulk PCMO material. Such a symmetric EPIR device showed a “table leg” resistance switching hysteresis loop under electric pulsing at room temperature. The symmetric EPIR device may be used as a resistive random access memory nonvolatile memory device with different operation modes by controlling electric pulse voltage.