Understanding electroforming in bipolar resistive switching oxides

We study electroforming on the resistive switching (RS) behavior of silver-manganite interfaces. Using the technique of hysteresis switching loops we define an electroforming procedure that enables us to study its influence on the RS behavior in a systematic manner. We show that two similar electroforming procedures may lead to either RS or no RS at all. We explain the observed behavior by associating the forming procedure and the memory switching operation to major and minor hysteresis loops, respectively. With the obtained insight we propose a simple and nearly optimal electroforming procedure.