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On resistive switching and dielectric spectroscopy characteristics of topological insulator-based heterojunction for memory applications

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Abstract

Herein, bismuth telluride (Bi2Te3) thin films thermally grown under vacuum have been integrated with p-Si in a heterojunction configuration of Au/Bi2Te3/p-Si/Al for resistive switching random-access memory (RRAM) applications. The quality of the grown films was evaluated in terms of crystal structure and films’ morphology using XRD and FE-SEM techniques, respectively. The dark I-V under swee** cycles between ± 5 Volts revealed the bidirectional RRAM features. The heterojunction parameters are extracted using Thermionic emission and Cheung-Cheung models. The conduction mechanism under forward/reverse biasing is discussed, emphasizing the impact of the interfacial states profile on the junction performance. Furthermore, the AC spectroscopical features of the designed heterojunction have been tested under different modulating frequencies, declaring a nontrivial capacitance behavior (i.e., negative capacitance). Based on the recorded (C-V) data at different frequencies, the built-in potential, Vbi, depletion region width, Wd, acceptor do** concertation, NA, and barrier height, ΦB, are evaluated. The extracted Vbi, Wd, NA, and ΦB magnitudes at 1 MHz were about 0.6 Volt, 1.06 μm, 7.16 × 1026 cm−3, and 1.095 eV, respectively. Ultimately, the Re [Z]-Im [Z] plot showed an interesting switching plot behavior with notable promising negative capacitance features. This astonishing performance of the fabricated heterojunction suggests this design for memristor applicability. An exciting [Re [Z]-Im [Z]] relation plot that may be useful in fabricating electrical switching electronic devices by using the frequency of the applied AC signal as a probe controlling factor (10 kHz to 7 MHz).

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Funding

The authors are grateful to the researcher's Supporting Project number (RSP2024R468), King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, for supporting this work.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Thin Films Laboratory, Physics Department, Faculty of Science, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, 41522, Egypt

    Ahmed M. Nawar & Ahmed M. El-Mahalawy

  2. Physics and Astronomy Department, Science College, King Saud University, PO Box 2455, 11451, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

    Omar H. Abd-Elkader

  3. Chrono-Environnement Laboratory, UMR CNRS 6249, Bourgogne, Franche-Comté University, CEDEX, 25030, Besançon, France

    Lotfi Aleya

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Ahmed M. Nawar: Idea and Conceptualization-Thin films and devices fabrication-Experimental Characterizations-Data analysis -Reviewing. Omar H. Abd-Elkader: Data analysis - Reviewing. Ahmed M. El-Mahalawy: Data analysis – writing. Lotfi Aleya: Reviewing. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

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Nawar, A.M., Abd-Elkader, O.H., El-Mahalawy, A.M. et al. On resistive switching and dielectric spectroscopy characteristics of topological insulator-based heterojunction for memory applications. Appl. Phys. A 130, 158 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00339-024-07292-2

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