Effects of electron drag of gold in pores of anodic aluminum oxide: Reversible resistive switching in a chain of point contacts

The current-voltage characteristics of Au/AAO(Au)/probe structures based on anodic aluminum oxide with pores incompletely filled with gold have been studied. It has been found that an electric field initiates the mass transfer of a rear Au electrode and the subsequent growth of the metal in unfilled parts of pores of the oxide matrix in the form of chains of gold islands. It has been established that this transfer, which appears at a positive potential of the probe, is due primarily to the effect of electron drag of the metal (Au). Estimates have been obtained for the effective radius of Au islands (2 nm), the width of a gap between islands (0.5 nm), the height of potential barriers (100 meV), and the characteristic resistance of tunnel junctions (30 k$\Omega\sim h/e^2$), which is typical of point quantum contacts. The structures demonstrate reversible resistive switching between low- ($\sim$1 M$\Omega$) and high-resistance ($>$100 G$\Omega$) states.