Electronic nature of amorphous threshold switching

Four distinct sets of experiments have been carried out to determine the size of the conducting filament in the on state of an amorphous threshold switch as a function of steady-state current. It is found that the filament is much wider (e.g., 20 μm in diameter at 50-mA current) than is compatible with the current densities necessary for thermally induced switching. An upper limit of 60 °C can be established for the maximum temperature rise in the material for on-state currents between 10 and 200 mA. This establishes the electronic nature of the on state.