Heat dissipation in resistive switching devices: Comparison of thermal simulations and experimental results

The local temperature plays a key role in resistive switching devices. We have previously presented a method to experimentally evaluate the filament temperature using metal-insulator-semiconductor bipolar transistor structure. In light of the experimental results, we discuss here the various possible heat dissipation mechanisms, and compare thermal simulations with the measured temperatures. Since the applied bias dropped across a tunneling gap, heat dissipation occurs at the interfaces. The simulations are consistent with our experimental data for a filament tip diameter of ~1 nm. A temperature-dependent thermal resistance of the interfaces and/or bulk was introduced to obtain a fit between the simulations and measured data. Thermal resistances imposed by interfaces dominated bulk material heat transport in the simulations.