Enhanced Resistive Switching and Conduction Mechanisms in Silk Fibroin-Based Memristors with Ag Nanoparticles for Bio-Neuromorphic Applications

This study explores the resistive switching (RS) behavior and conduction mechanisms of Ag/SF-Ag NP/Si memristors with varying Ag NP concentrations. I-V measurements confirm stable RS characteristics across 100 cycles, with consistent set and reset voltages. Increasing Ag NP concentration enhances conductive filament formation, leading to sharper switching transitions and a higher HRS/LRS ratio, w-hich increases from 43 (0 wt% Ag NP) to 4.6 × 10⁴ (10 wt% Ag NP). Log(I)-log(V) analysis reveals a conduction transition from Ohmic to Poole-Frenkel mechanisms, indicating improved charge percolation. Reliability tests show stable LRS values, while HRS exhibits greater variation at higher Ag NP concentrations. These results demonstrate that Ag NPs play a crucial role in optimizing memristor performance, improving switching characteristics, and enhancing reliability. The findings suggest that Ag/SF-Ag NP/Si memristors are promising for high-performance resistive memory and neuromorphic computing applications.