The next generation of information memories and neuromorphic computer logics in electronics rely largely on solving fundamental questions of mass and charge transport of ionic defects in materials and their structures. Here, understanding the defect kinetics in the solid state material building blocks and their interfaces with respect to lattice, charge carrier types and interfacial strains are the prerequisite to design new material properties beyond classic doping. Through this presentation basic theory¹ and model experiments for solid state oxides their impedances and memristance², electro-chemo-mechanics and lattice strain^3-5 modulations is being discussed as a new route for tuning material and properties in ionic conducting oxide film structures up to new device prototypes based on resistive switching. Central are the making of new oxide film materials components, and manipulation of the charge carrier transfer and defect chemistry (based on ionic, electronic and protonic carriers)^{1-2, 5-6}, which alter directly the resistive switching property and future computing performances. A careful study on the influence of microstructure and defect states vs. the materials` diffusion characteristics is in focus. For this, we suggest novel oxide heterostructure building blocks and show in-situ spectroscopic and microscopic techniques coupled with electrochemical micro-measurements to probe near order structural bond strength changes relative to ionic, protonic and electronic diffusion kinetics and the materials integration to new optimized device architectures and computing operation schemes. In addition, new perspectives in the field from the materials science point view will be introduced by radically suggesting to select Li as a moving cation for memristive switches, and turn to a selection of model materials well studied as all solid-state Li conductors for batteries to replace classic transition metal oxides in memristors and realize lithium-operated memristor devices.

¹⁾Memristor Kinetics and Diffusion Characteristics for Mixed Anionic-Electronic SrTiO_3-δ: The Memristor-based Cottrell Analysis Connecting Material to Device Performance. F Messerschmitt, M Kubicek, S Schweiger, JLM Rupp

Advanced Functional Materials, 24, 47, 7448 (2014)

²⁾Uncovering Two Competing Switching Mechanisms for Epitaxial and Ultra-Thin Strontium Titanate-based Resistive Switching Bits. M Kubicek, R Schmitt, F Messerschmitt, JLM Rupp. ACS Nano 9, 11, 10737 (2015)

³⁾Designing Strained Ionic Heterostructures for Resistive Swicthing Devices

S Schweiger, R Pfenninger, W Bowman, U Aschauer, JLM Rupp. Advanced Materials, (2017)

⁴⁾ The Effect of Mechanical Twisting on Oxygen Ionic Transport in Solid State Energy Conversion Membranes

Y Shi, AH Bork, S Schweiger, JLM Rupp. Nature Materials, 14, 721 (2015)

⁵⁾ A Micro-Dot Multilayer Oxide Device: Let’s Tune the Strain-Ionic Transport Interaction

1. Schweiger, M. Kubicek, F. Messerschmitt, C. Murer, J.L.M. Rupp. ACS Nano, 8, 5, 5032 (2014)

⁶⁾ How does Moisture affect the Physical propert of Memristance for Anionic-Electronic Resistive Switching Memories?

F Messerschmitt, M Kubicek, JLM Rupp. Advanced Functional Materials, 25, 32, 5117 (2015)

⁷⁾ The Role of Electrode Symmetry and Electroforming in Heterostructure Resistive Switches

1. Schweiger, W.J. Bowman, J.L.M. Rupp. Advanced Functional Materials, in press (2018)