Negative resistance in cadmium sulphide films

Abstract

(I, V) characteristics of aluminium-cadmium-sulphide-aluminium (or indium) thin film structures have been studied. After an irreversible breakdown, the (I, V) curve shows an interesting dual negative resistance phenomenon. When the upper electrode is positive the curve first follows a low-conductivity path from which it switches over to a high-conductivity state through a current-controlled negative resistance. On decreasing the voltage, the high-conductivity path is maintained until a critical voltage in the opposite direction is reached when the structure switches back to the low-conductivity state through a voltage-controlled negative resistance region.