Canonic memristor: Bipolar electrical switching in metal-metal contacts

Abstract

In the work, by uncovering hitherto unknown electrical properties of a set of coherer and autocoherer, we find that extremely simple devices show memristive properties. Coherer and the auto-coherer are electrically-controllable statedependent resistors, the state variable being the maximum current flown through the device. Bipolar switching in these devices, wherein the device can be programmed (electrically) to an older higher resistance state has also been observed. This shows that simple setting such as metallic contacts show memristive properties and constitute the canonic implementation of a memristor.