The unipolar resistive switches are investigated in silicon highly rich SiOx (x < 0.75) films. The as-deposited SiO0.73 films contain high concentration (1.0 × 1019 cm−3) of silicon dangling bonds (Si-DBs) and are rich in SiO2≡Si–Si and O3≡Si–Si configurations. Unlike the currently reported normal silicon-rich SiOx (x > 1.8) based devices, our Pt/SiO0.73/Pt devices operate at lower voltage regime (<2.0 V) and exhibit much lower resistance (∼30 Ω). The reset voltage (∼0.7 V) is lower than set voltage (∼1.7 V) and the performance is reduced in the vacuum environment. We propose a Si-DBs percolation model to explain the above characteristics. The experimental evidences for supporting our model are presented and discussed.

We discover the transition phenomenon of two kinds of different resistive switching behaviors in SiOx based Pt/SiOx/Pt devices with different x component. When x < 0.80, the forming/set operations need a current compliance and the reset voltage Vreset is lower than set voltage Vset. However, when x > 0.95, the operations do not need a current compliance and Vreset is higher than Vset. We use the silicon dangling bonds (Si-DBs) percolation model to explain the x dependent transition phenomenon. The microstructural transitions of tetrahedral Si-O configurations and related Si-DBs in as-deposited SiOx films with different x and the hopping conductance of low-resistance-states support our model.

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