Resistive switching properties of a nanostructured layer of mixed ZrO2 phases obtained in low-pressure arc discharge plasma

The controlled vacuum-arc synthesis of zirconium dioxide (ZrO2) nanoparticles is considered, which makes it possible to regulate the percentage ratio of the monoclinic and tetragonal phases. The samples were characterized using XRD analysis, SEM, HRTEM analysis, FT-IR analysis, TG/DTA analysis and EPR spectroscopy. It has been established that the formation of the tetragonal phase is associated with the formation of a large number of oxygen vacancies formed due to high-speed quenching of nanoparticles. Reducing the operating gas pressure in a vacuum chamber from 180 Pa to 30 Pa makes it possible to obtain nanoparticles up to 2 nm in size. The synthesized ZrO2 nanoparticles do not contain foreign impurities and when heated, the weight loss is up to 7 %. The process of local resistive switching in the contact of an atomic force microscope (AFM) probe to a nanostructured ZrO(2-x) layer on a conducting substrate has been studied. Cyclic current-voltage characteristics demonstrate the existence of stable states of high and low resistance, switched by changing the polarity of the applied voltage. The coexistence of the m- and t-ZrO2 phases (and the resulting oxygen nonstoichiometry in the interboundary regions) provides conditions for the formation/destruction of a filament from oxygen vacancies, which determine the conductivity of the dielectric in the LRS state. •Samples of nanostructured ZrO2-x with a high content of the tetragonal phase were obtained.•The coexistence of the m- and t-ZrO2 phases provides an increased concentration of oxygen vacancies.•The effect of resistive switching was studied using conductive atomic force microscopy.•Resistive switching occurs via a filament mechanism involving oxygen vacancies.