In-Plane Crystallinity Effect on the Unipolar Resistance Switching Behavior of NiO Thin Film.

We report on the resistance switching behavior of high quality NiO thin films grown on Pt(111)/SiOx/Si and Pt(111)/Al2O3 crystals. Polarity independent resistance switching, i.e., unipolar resistance switching exhibited a substrate crystallinity dependence during the resistance switching. The unipolar resistance switching was observed commonly in NiO film grown on both substrates. High resistance state of NiO thin film without in-plane crystallinity showed higher resistance than that of NiO films with in-plane crystallinity. The NiO thin film without in-plane crystallinity also required high set voltages for the resistance switching from high resistance state to low resistance state and showed nonlinear I-V characteristics at high voltage region before the resistance switching.