Efficient non-volatile memory based on SiO_x thin film fabricated on transparent ITO substrate

This work reports the fabrication of a Silicon Oxide (SiO_x) thin film (TF) via an electron beam evaporator on an Indium Tin Oxide (ITO) substrate for the application of a non-volatile memory device. The TF exhibits a high transmittance of ~ 79.7% in the visible range. The presence of capacitive memory was analyzed for the frequency range from 500 kHz to 1 MHz. An interface trap density of ~ 5.47 × 10¹¹ eV⁻¹ cm⁻² was estimated at 1 MHz. In addition, the charge trapping density per unit area was ~ 10¹¹ cm⁻² at ± 9 V. Furthermore, the fabricated device’s resistive switching (RS) analysis revealed a butterfly-shaped bipolar and forming-free behavior. The device exhibits a good retention time of up to 10⁴ s and a stable endurance for 1000 repeated switching cycles. The conduction mechanisms: Ohmic conduction and Space Charge Limited Current conduction were responsible for the RS mechanisms in the fabricated device. The outcomes of our study suggest that the Au/SiO_x/ITO TF device can be a promising candidate for integration into next-generation transparent, non-volatile memory devices.