Current biased resistive switching in ZnO whiskers

Abstract

In this paper, the resistive switching effects in ZnO whiskers are reported. The resistive switching properties were studied by current controlled current-voltage (I-V) sweeps. On increasing the biasing current value, the resistance of the ZnO whiskers switches from high resistance state (HRS) to low resistance state (LRS). Between the HRS and LRS, anomalous resistance fluctuations were observed during the resistive transition. These resistive switching effects were studied for ZnO whiskers of different diameters. It was observed that resistive switching depends on the diameter of the ZnO whisker. As the diameter of a ZnO whisker decreases, the resistance switching increases. The mechanism of the observed resistive switching is also proposed. © 2011 The Japan Society of Applied Physics.