From micrometric to nanometric scale switching of CuTCNQ-based non-volatile memory structures

Resistance switching is an interesting alternative to conventional charge storage devices for future high density storage media. Cu/CuTCNQ(300 nm)/Al memory structures with pad size ranging from 1000 down to 150 ¿m were carefully studied to apprehend their switching behavior. Electrical testing revealed bipolar resistive switching and a shrink of the memory window as the pad-size decreased. Current in low resistance state (LRS) was demonstrated as top pad area dependent. Besides, to investigate their potential scaling, local current measurements performed by conductive-AFM demonstrated the switching of CuTCNQ films at a nanometer scale with a discrimination window of 3 decades between high and low resistance states. Current mappings and local current-voltage characteristics were measured to study the statistical and spatial distribution of switching regions over the CuTCNQ thin film.