Origin of current-controlled negative differential resistance modes and the emergence of composite characteristics with high complexity

Abstract

Current-controlled negative differential resistance has significant potential as a fundamental building block in brain-inspired neuromorphic computing. However, achieving desired negative differential resistance characteristics, which is crucial for practical implementation, remains challenging due to little consensus on the underlying mechanism and unclear design criteria. Here, we report a material-independent model of current-controlled negative differential resistance to explain a broad range of characteristics, including the origin of the discontinuous snap-back response observed in many transition metal oxides. This is achieved by explicitly accounting for a non-uniform current distribution in the oxide film and its impact on the effective circuit of the device, rather than a material-specific phase transition. The predictions of the model are then compared with experimental observations to show that the continuous S-type and discontinuous snap-back characteristics serve as fundamental building blocks for composite behaviour with higher complexity. Finally, we demonstrate the potential of our approach for predicting and engineering unconventional compound behaviour with novel functionality for emerging electronic and neuromorphic computing applications.

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Cited by in corpus (5)

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• Understanding modes of negative differential resistance in amorphous and polycrystalline vanadium oxides
• Schottky barrier induced asymmetry in the negative differential resistance response of Nb/NbOx/Pt cross-point devices
• Multibridge VO2-Based Resistive Switching Devices in a Two-Terminal Configuration