Electron transport in CeOx-based resistive switching devices

The electron transport in electroformed W/CeO_x/SiO₂/NiSi₂ capacitors grown onto a p⁺-type Si substrate is investigated within the framework of the Landauer theory for mesoscopic systems. It is shown that the devices exhibit bipolar resistive switching with conductance levels in the low resistance state (LRS) of the order of integer and half integer values of the quantum conductance unit G₀ = 2e²/h. This is consistent with the so-called nonlinear conduction regime in quantum point contacts. A simple model for the LRS I-V characteristics which accounts for the available right- and left-going conduction modes allowed by the constriction´s size and the voltage drop distribution along the filamentary path is presented.