New insights on the origin of Resistive switching in HfO2 thin films: The role of local mechanical strength

In the Resistive Random Access Memory (RRAM) devices, switching between high and low resistive states is controlled by the processes of disruption and restoration of a conductive filament, which could be formed through the dielectric film. In this study, we demonstrate that RS is strongly linked to the mechanical properties of the insulator that should be considered in the design of flexible memories, which are usually subjected to significant mechanical strains.