We demonstrate that the physical mechanism behind electroresistive switching in oxide Schottky systems is electroformation, as in insulating oxides. Negative resistance shown by the hysteretic current-voltage curves proves that impact ionization is at the origin of the switching. Analyses of the capacitance-voltage and conductance-voltage curves through a simple model show that an atomic rearrangement is involved in the process. Switching in these systems is a bulk effect, not strictly confined at the interface but at the charge space region.
@article{arxiv.0805.3159,
title = {Unification of bulk and interface electroresistive switching in oxide systems},
author = {A. Ruotolo and C. W. Leung and C. Y. Lam and W. F. Cheng and K. H. Wong and G. P. Pepe},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:0805.3159},
year = {2009}
}