Electrical field induced precipitation reaction and percolation in Ag30Ge17Se53 amorphous electrolyte films.

The microstructural evolution and resistive switching of glassy Ag₃₀Ge₁₇Se₅₃ electrolyte films clipped by Ag active electrode, at which a positive bias was applied, and Pt inert electrode, were investigated by transmission electron microscopy observations and I-V measurements as functions of the period of electrical field treatment. It is revealed that an electrical field induced precipitation reaction forming conductive particles with orthorhombic Ag₂Se structure and followed growth and networking of these particles, leading to an electrical percolation, are responsible for the transition from high resistive to high conductive state of the system. The kinetics of the precipitation reaction was also analyzed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]