Memristive Behavior in Carrier Accumulation-Based Optical Modulators

Memristive switching and field-effect modulation form the basis of many optoelectronic devices, yet despite their complementary properties, they are typically realized in separate architectures. Here, we demonstrate an optoelectronic platform that combines carrier accumulation/depletion (CAL/CDL) and electrochemical metallization (ECM) effects within a single device. By engineering a Ag/ITO/SiO₂/Ag stack and tuning the ITO carrier concentration, we achieve electrically driven transitions between volatile and nonvolatile optical states. Spectroscopic ellipsometry and electrical measurements, enhanced by well-defined optical resonances and a large active area, reveal that low-voltage modulation originates from field-induced carrier redistribution at the ITO/SiO₂ interface (CAL/CDL), while long-term optical drift and current evolution are attributed to ECM-mediated silver ion migration and filament formation. The coexistence and controllable interplay of both effects provide a pathway toward multifunctional optoelectronic components capable of operating across distinct memory and modulation modes, with implications for neuromorphic computing and hybrid photonic in-memory computing technologies.