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Rectification is a nonlinear optical effect that arises using metal–insulator–metal (MIM) rectifying diodes. These devices can be tuned to exhibit a memory (hysteresis) of a previous state in the electrical behavior like a memristor that conduct through energy barriers. Voltage- or field-reconfigurable MIM rectifiers, ‘memrectifiers’, are combined with magnetic materials to enable rectifiers to ‘remember’ their state with a low-energy abrupt switch to change conduction state.
We demonstrate early stage devices where minimal power will be needed to magnetically reconfigure the electrical behavior of the rectifier, and the permanent magnetic moment in the Co layer will preserve the memrectifier’s state without power draw. The MIM diode is comprised of Nb-(NbOx)–Co, building on Nb-NbOx-Au MIM diodes. The niobium oxide dielectric layer has a high dielectric constant; we are investigating the stoichiometry. NbOx was deposited with thicknesses 5–50 nm. Diode electrical characteristics were investigated using current density vs. voltage (J-V) measurements, and x-ray spectroscopy, FTIR, and ellipsometry probed composition of the layers. The top Co–Au layer was micro-patterned in a range of square sizes. J–V curves characteristics determined barrier heights. Al bottom metal layers were also deposited.
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