Conduction centers in a Ta₂O_5-δ Fermi glass

We compare our photoemission spectra with the calculated energy spectra of oxygen vacancies in Ta oxide to identify the defects responsible for the formation of a band in the gap of a Ta oxide-based memristor. We have previously explained transitions between high and low resistance states in a memristor conducting channel under bias reversal by accumulation and depletion of oxygen in the channel. Oxidation leads to a higher resistance due to sparser conduction centers for the electrons to hop between. Here, we show that they are likely due to neutral oxygen vacancies located at 'in-plane' sites of the Ta-O polyhedra.