Antiferroelectric Heterostructures Memristors with Unique Resistive Switching Mechanisms and Properties

A novel antiferroelectric material, PbSnO₃ (PSO), was introduced into a resistive random access memory (RRAM) to reveal its resistive switching (RS) properties. It exhibits outstanding electrical performance with a large memory window (>10⁴), narrow switching voltage distribution (±2 V), and low power consumption. Using high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, we observed the antiferroelectric properties and remanent polarization of the PSO thin films. The in-plane shear strains in the monoclinic PSO layer are attributed to oxygen octahedral tilts, resulting in misfit dislocations and grain boundaries at the PSO/SRO interface. Furthermore, the incoherent grain boundaries between the orthorhombic and monoclinic phases are assumed to be the primary paths of Ag⁺ filaments. Therefore, the RS behavior is primarily dominated by antiferroelectric polarization and defect mechanisms for the PSO structures. The RS behavior of antiferroelectric heterostructures controlled by switching spontaneous polarization and strain, defects, and surface chemistry reactions can facilitate the development of new antiferroelectric device systems.