Patent ID: 8766229

Claim:
Electronic device comprising: a first electrode; a second electrode; a solid electrolyte made of an ion-conducting material, said first and second electrodes being respectively in contact with one of the faces of said electrolyte on either side of said electrolyte, said first and second electrodes being configured to form a metal dendrite between said first electrode and said second electrode from metal ions circulating in said electrolyte when a potential difference is applied between said first and second electrodes; a third electrode; an interface layer in contact with said third electrode and with a third face of said electrolyte different from the contact faces of said first and second electrodes, said interface layer being an ionic and electronic insulator, said interface layer being arranged between said third face and said third electrode so that said interface layer acts as electronic and ionic barrier between said electrolyte and said third electrode; said third electrode and said dendrite being arranged so that said device has two resistive states: a first high resistive state when a first potential is applied to said third electrode so that part of the ions forming said dendrite migrate under the effect of a first electric field generated by said first potential and leave said dendrite which no longer ensures the electrical contact between said first and said second electrode; a second low resistive state when a second potential different from said first potential is applied to said third electrode so that said part of the ions having left said dendrite migrate under the effect of a second electric field of direction opposite to said first electric field and generated by said second potential so as to reform said dendrite between said first electrode and said second electrode, wherein said contact between said third electrode and said interface layer takes place uniquely on a part of a total length of the electrolyte so that the electric field generated by the application of a potential to said third electrode is concentrated at the level of said part of the total length of the electrolyte.