Multilevel resistive switching memory behaviors arising from ion diffusion and photoelectron transfer in α-Fe2O3 nano-island arrays.

Resistive switching (RS) memory behaviors are observed in an Ag|α-Fe2O3|Ti device after operating under an ultralow bias voltage of ±0.1 V. An SET voltage of ∼20 mV is obtained under illumination. Multilevel RS memory is realized under photoelectric signal control. The separation and fast transfer of hole-electron pairs are responsible for the enhanced RS memory under illumination.