MEMRISTORS 2025

Unraveling the Resisitve Switching Mechanism Of YBCO/LSMO Heterostructures through Space Charge Limited Currents

  • Günkel, Thomas (ICMAB-CSIC)
  • Miranda, Enrique (Departament d’Enginyeria Electrònica UAB)
  • Mestres, Narcis (ICMAB-CSIC)
  • Palau, Anna (ICMAB-CSIC)
  • Suñe, Jordi (Departament d’Enginyeria Electrònica UAB)

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Although the memristor, as a novel circuit element, was proposed by Leon Chua in 1971 [1], it took decades to implement such devices for real-world applications. Today, memristors serve as key building blocks in the emerging field of neuromorphic computing, which aims to address the ever-increasing demand for processing large datasets [2]. Interestingly, the high-Tc superconductor YBa₂Cu₃O₇₋δ (YBCO), known for its strong electronic correlations, demonstrates memristive behavior due to voltage-driven oxygen vacancy migration, which induces phase transitions [3]. In this study, we demonstrate that two distinct resistive switching mechanisms exist in devices composed of the half-metallic ferromagnet La₀.₇Sr₀.₃MnO₃ (LSMO) and the cuprate YBCO. One of these mechanisms dominates below the critical temperature of the superconductor and is associated with a phase transition driven by hole trapping/detrapping. The endurance and retention of this effect, as well as the number of adjustable states, make it a promising candidate for neuromorphic devices or memory applications operating at cryogenic temperatures. Additionally, we propose a physics-based compact model that accurately replicates the experimental findings and serves as a tool for circuit-level design [4]. An analysis of the temperature dependence of the IV characteristics for different resistive states within the framework of space-charge limited currents reveals that the conduction mechanism in the high-resistive state is governed by traps exponentially distributed in energy. Furthermore, the SET transition of the devices can be associated with the trap-filled limit. Gaining deeper insight into the microscopic mechanisms of resistive switching could provide new perspectives on phase transitions in superconducting cuprates. This may also enable voltage-controlled interactions between superconductors and ferromagnets, paving the way for advanced superconducting electronic devices based on these hybrid heterostructures [5].