Study of the Resistive Switching Effect in Chromium Oxide Thin Films by Use of Conductive Atomic Force Microscopy

Reversible resistive switching of Cr 2 O 3 films was studied by use of conductive atomic force microscopy. Resistive switching in Cr 2 O 3 films occurs as a result of Ag filament paths formed during electrochemical redox reactions. A large memory density of 100 Tbit/sq. inch was achieved with a small filament diameter of 2.9 nm under the action of a compliance current of 10 nA. A fast switching speed of 10 ns, high scalability, and low set/reset currents suggest that Cr 2 O 3 -based resistive memory is suitable for nanoscale devices.