Light Dependent Negative Differential Resistance and Resistive Switching in Oxide Semiconductors

The emerging light-induced phenomena in optical materials possess significant potential for use in multifunctional optoelectronic devices. Here, the negative differential resistance (NDR) and bipolar-resistive switching; first of its kind in ZnO-ZnCr2O4 nanocomposite nanowalls are proposed. The NDR effect can be modified by modulating the light power intensity, resulting in an improved peak-to-valley ratio (PVR) of 2. Combined effects of the trapping of charge carriers at interface states and tunneling assisted transport are attributed to observed NDR and resistive switching. In addition to offering novel perspectives on the switching features, this study emphasizes the planar configuration of the memristive device at the micrometer scale. Moreover, we provide a promising mechanism for comprehending the coexistence of NDR and resistive switching effects in oxide memristive devices, which advances their utilization in multi-functional devices.