A threshold
resistive switching (RS) device concurrently demonstrating analog
memristive property with mesoporous silica–titania (m-ST) nanocomposites
is introduced in this study. The nanostructured m-ST layer in an Al/m-ST/Pt
device was constructed by facile soft templating of evaporation-induced
self-assembly (EISA) method to demonstrate nonlinear threshold RS
behaviors accompanying with discrete synaptic characteristics along
with adaptive motions. The EISA layer was composed of well-ordered
mesopores (∼10 nm), where paths of electrical currents could
be controllably guided and sequentially activated by repeated voltage
sweeps. The combinational memristive behavior accompanying the shift
of threshold voltage (V
th) could implicate
concurrent performances of threshold RS and selection diode devices.
In addition, synaptic functionalities of long-term potentiation and
depression were characterized by variations of pulse timing width
(7–100 ms). Physical and chemical features of the m-ST were
analyzed with Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron
spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy, high-resolution
transmission electron microscopy, and optical microscopy to investigate
the unique origin of dual operation modes of the device. The m-ST
synaptic device could have potential for further development of a
hybrid selection diode having both a low sneaky current loss and memristive
characteristics accomplishing low level of cross-talk between RS devices.