Silicon Oxide is a Non-Innocent Surface for Molecular Electronics and Nanoelectronics Studies

摘要

Silicon oxide (SiOx) has been widely used in many electronic systems as asupportive and insulating medium. Here we demonstrate various electricalphenomena such as negative differential resistance, resistive switching andcurrent hysteresis intrinsic to a thin layer of SiOx. These behaviors canlargely mimic numerous electrical phenomena observed in molecules and othernanomaterials, suggesting that substantial caution should be paid when studyingconduction in electronic systems with SiOx as a component. The actual switchingcan be the result of SiOx and not the presumed molecular or nanomaterialcomponent. These electrical properties and the underlying mechanisms arediscussed in detail.