Abstract
Thin ZnTe layers show memory switching characteristics. The electrical conduction in the non-ohmic off-state is shown to be due to Poole–Frenkel emission. An electrothermal model is proposed to explain the off-on transition; this model is confirmed by experiments. The characteristics of metal–ZnTe–metal sandwich structure as a memory device are investigated. The switching parameters are stable during a series of switching events, but the rather poor write–erase lifetime (200 cycles) still constitutes a handicap for the operation as a device.