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Investigation of filamentation in a-Si/Ag/Cu memristors with atomic force microscope

Alena Samsonova, Viacheslav Dremov, Oleg Klimenko, Nikolai Brilliantov, Vladimir N. Antonov

Featured May 17, 2026

Original Paper

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Simply

Using a special tiny probe, scientists looked closely at memory devices to map how electricity flows, finding it travels through specific conductive paths that can either disappear when power is off or stay put, explaining device unpredictability.

In depth
The paper employs conductive atomic force microscopy (c-AFM) to directly visualize and characterize the spatial distribution of conductive filaments in -Si/Ag/Cu memristors. This direct observation reveals that device conduction is governed by discrete, localized filaments, which can be either volatile or non-volatile. The authors then develop a trap-assisted tunneling model to explain the distinct electrical properties of these filament types, attributing the difference to the length of the tunneling gap () between the last trap and the electrode.

Key Takeaways

  • 1
    c-AFM directly visualizes and maps the spatial distribution of conductive filaments in -Si/Ag/Cu memristors, revealing non-uniform conduction.
  • 2
    The study distinguishes between volatile and non-volatile filaments, showing that volatile filaments dominate and lose conductance at low bias, while non-volatile ones retain it.
  • 3
    A multiple trap assisted tunnelling model is adapted for amorphous dielectrics, successfully explaining the observed electrical behavior of both filament types based on the tunneling gap length ().

Conceptual Flow

HIGH LEVEL
1
Mapping Tiny Electrical Paths

Scientists used a special tiny probe to draw a map of where electricity flows inside a memory device, like finding hidden roads in a city.

Memory Device
Tiny Probe
Scan and Measure
Map of Paths
Electrical Readings
2
Two Kinds of Paths Found

They discovered two types of electrical paths: some that vanish when power is off (like temporary bridges) and others that stay (like permanent roads), explaining why the devices act differently.

Electrical Paths
Categorize by Behavior
Temporary Paths
Permanent Paths