Complex Oxide Thin Films for Memristive Applications

Complex oxide thin films are emerging as promising candidates for memristive device applications due to their rich electronic phase behavior and tunable defect chemistry. In this work, we present a comparative study of hydrogen-doped NiO and NdNiO₃ thin films, focusing on their structural quality, memristive switching characteristics and real-time local conductivity variations. Using a combination of X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman and IR spectroscopy, we study the growth parameter-dependent structural properties. Then we utilize conductive atomic force microscopy (c-AFM), scattering-type near-field optical microscopy (SNOM) and nanoscale Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (nano-FTIR), to explore the electronic heterogeneity within the channel medium under different doping and biasing conditions. Our results reveal distinct local conductivity modulations correlated with hydrogen-induced phase transitions and defect dynamics, offering insights into the design of reconfigurable and energy-efficient synaptic elements. This study underscores the potential of complex oxides in neuromorphic architectures and highlights the importance of advanced nanoscale characterization techniques in understanding their functional behavior.