Dielectric breakdown and electroforming phenomenon in the cadmium arsenide thin films devices

In this high conductivity semiconductor material, it is not possible to distinguish between the onset of these two processes, and it is highly probable that the two processes are initiated simultaneously. Electroforming is normally observed in insulating materials (Ray and Hogarth 1984), where there is a very rapid increase in the current drawn at a particular moment. In the test device, a decrease in current was observed at the field F/sub b/, which may be identified with dielectric breakdown; however, after this event the samples showed the typical electroforming characteristic of voltage-controlled differential negative resistance (VCNR) for both increasing and decreasing voltages. The basic characteristics observed for both these phenomena are discussed in the paper.