Fabrication of laterally-configured resistive switching device with spin-polarized nano-gap electrodes

Resistive switching device consisting of metallic oxide layer sandwiched by the metallic electrodes has paid considerable attention to next-generation nano-electronic devices. Two major mechanisms; filament-type and interface-type, are known for the transition between the low-resistive and high-resistive states. In both mechanism, the low voltage operation is the common issue for the reliable and low-power consumption operations. From this view point, the devices, in general, consist of vertical stuck structure with the thin oxide layer. If one obtains the resistive switching operation in the laterally configured structure, we may obtain more flexible and functional device. It also should be noted that most of the metallic oxides showing the resistive switching include magnetic components. This implies that the resistance switching is related to the spin configuration in the metallic oxide. For these purpose, in the present study, we develop a novel method for the fabrication of the switching devices in lateral configuration and investigate the influence of the ferromagnetic electrode and spin orientation on the switching property.