AVS 49th International Symposium
    Nanometer Structures Wednesday Sessions
       Session NS-WeP

Paper NS-WeP6
Switching Behavior of Plasma Polymer Thin Films Containing Metal Nanoparticles

Wednesday, November 6, 2002, 11:00 am, Room Exhibit Hall B2

Session: Nanometer Structures B
Presenter: A. Kiesow, Fraunhofer-Institute for Mechanics of Materials Halle, Germany
Authors: A. Kiesow, Fraunhofer-Institute for Mechanics of Materials Halle, Germany
J.E. Morris, Portland State University
C. Radehaus, Technical University Chemnitz, Germany
D. Katzer, Fraunhofer-Institute for Mechanics of Materials Halle, Germany
A. Heilmann, Fraunhofer-Institute for Mechanics of Materials Halle, Germany
Correspondent: Click to Email
The nanostructures of plasma polymer thin films containing silver-particles are characterized by particle size and particle shape distribution and have been investigated by means of transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The electrical properties have been determined and correlated with the nanostructures. Three different nanostructural types could be observed: metallic, percolation, and dielectric region. While for the metallic and dielectric regions, respectively, metallic conduction and thermally activated tunneling can be identified as the dominant conduction mechanisms, a switching effect was observed for the region near percolation. These drastic abrupt changes in the current (I) -voltage (V) behavior (of up to 6 orders of current magnitude) are reversible, and can be defined as threshold bistable switching. The threshold voltage is dependent on the switching frequency.