Analog and Digital Bipolar Resistive Switching in Solution-Combustion-Processed NiO Memristor

In this study, a NiO-based resistive memristor was manufactured using a solution combustion method. In this device, both analog and digital bipolar resistive switching were observed. They are dependent on the stressed bias voltage. Prior to the electroforming, the analog bipolar resistive switching was realized through the change of the Schottky barrier at p-type NiO/Ag junction by the local migration of the oxygen ion in the interface. On the basis of the analog resistive switching, several synaptic functions were demonstrated, such as nonlinear transmission characteristics, spike-rate-dependent plasticity, long-term/short-term memory, and “learning-experience” behavior. In addition, once the electroforming operation was carried out using a high applied voltage, the resistive switching was changed from analog to digital. The formation and rupture of the oxygen vacancy filaments is dominant. This novel memristor with the multifunction of analog and digital resistive switching is expected to decrease the manufacturing complexity of the electrocircuits containing analog/digital memristors.