Trap-Controlled Conduction and Metal–Insulator Transition in Superconducting Cuprate Memristors
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: High Resolution Image Download MS PowerPoint Slide Memristive devices based on high-temperature superconducting cuprates offer promising routes for neuromorphic computing, yet the microscopic mechanisms governing their resistive switching remain unclear. Here we investigate YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7−δ (YBCO) memristors across 80–300 K, revealing robust bipolar switching between high- and low-resistance states with temperature-independent SET and RESET voltages. Current–voltage analysis shows both states follow trap-controlled space-charge-limited conduction, modulated by shallow and deep trap states at an oxygen-deficient interfacial YBCO layer. A key enabler of this behavior is the formation of a deoxygenated layer beneath the top contact, which acts as a dynamic trap region and allows electrostatic control over a field-induced metal–insulator transition. We propose a dual-trap model where deep traps linked to CuO chain fragmentation stabilize a field-induced metal–insulator transition, enabling nonvolatile switching. These insights elucidate the role of trap dynamics in cuprate memristors and highlight their potential for cryogenic neuromorphic platforms compatible with superconducting computing architectures.
Source: ACS Applied Electronic Materials
Language: English
Subfield: Electrical and Electronic Engineering
Field: Engineering
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $4,500
Awards: G1175115578, G121809054, G1448239075, G1622782223, G1628457731, G1855990336, G2038104832, G210041235, G2262748287, G2291628898, G2309174360, G234454427, G2355262757, G2361154005, G2601397997, G2660406951, G279363373, G288263039, G2906055632, G300979063, G34346518, G3480869486, G3518538256, G3681454997, G3743529912, G3832907101, G4031123380, G4042783231, G410571670, G4133707810, G423719072, G425668148, G430777504, G4396116768, G4442677895, G444514821, G451917667, G4526231891, G5080475149, G5195188938, G5421974903, G5539308778, G5852091828, G5964561935, G5967599077, G602270851, G7084143925, G7434936867, G7704543894, G8294824355, G8335275847, G8434830731, G8489206226, G8920660035, G897484643, Next Generation of edge AI crossing technology fields, G929308097, G99296377
OpenAlex ID: W7124456750