Reset First Resistive Switching in Ni1-xO Thin Films as Charge Transfer Insulator Deposited by Reactive RF Magnetron Sputtering.

Reset-first resistive random access memory (RRAM) devices were demonstrated for off-stoichiometric Ni1-xO thin films deposited using reactive sputtering with a high oxygen partial pressure. The Ni1-xO based RRAM devices exhibited both unipolar and bipolar resistive switching characteristics without an electroforming step. Auger electron spectroscopy showed nickel deficiency in the Ni1-xO films, and X-ray photoemission spectroscopy showed that the Ni3+ valence state in the Ni1-xO films increased with increasing oxygen partial pressure. Conductive atomic force microscopy showed that the conductivity of the Ni1-xO films increased with increasing oxygen partial pressure during deposition, possibly contributing to the reset-first switching of the Ni1-xO films.