Temperature and ambient atmosphere dependent electrical characterization of sputtered IrO₂/TiO₂/IrO₂ capacitors

Titanium dioxide (TiO2) is a high-performance material for emerging device applications, such as in resistive switching memories, high-k capacitors, or, due to its flexoelectricity, micro/nano-electro-mechanical systems. Enhanced electrical properties of TiO2 are ensured, especially by careful selection the bottom electrode material. Iridium (IrO2) an excellent choice, it favors rutile phase growth TiO2. In this study, we introduce fabrication IrO2/TiO2/IrO2 capacitors and thoroughly characterize their behavior. These show dielectric constant low temperature sputtered ∼70. From leakage current measurements, coupled capacitive–memristive behavior determined, which assumed presence reduced TiO2−x layer at IrO2/TiO2 interface observed from transmission electron microscopy analyses. The memristive effect most probably originates trapping detrapping electric charges oxygen vacancy defects, themselves can be generated annihilated through applied field, subsequently changing resistance capacitor. degradation type identified filament-forming mechanism. Additionally, dependence measured, demonstrating that strongly influenced ambient atmosphere. latter dependency leads hypothesis evolution reaction water incorporated passivates vacancies, thus significantly impacting density and, further consequence, performance.