Nanoscale switching device

A nanoscale crossbar array comprising:

• a first group of conductive nanowires running in a first direction;
• a second group of conductive nanowires running in a second direction and intersecting the first group of nanowires;
• a plurality of switching devices formed at intersections of the first group of nanowires with the second group of nanowires, each switching device having a first electrode formed by a first nanowire of the first group and a second electrode formed by a second nanowire of the second group, an active region disposed at the intersection between the first and second electrodes, an area within the active region that constrains current flow between the first electrode and the second electrode to a central portion of the active region, and an interlayer dielectric layer of a dielectric material disposed between the first and second groups of nanowires outside the active region, the active region containing a switching material;
• wherein the area that constrains current flow within the active region comprises a lateral oxidation region of the switching material.

A method of forming a nanoscale switching device, comprising:

• forming a first electrode of a nanoscale width and a second electrode of a nanoscale width;
• forming an active region between the first and second electrodes, the active region comprising a switching material capable of carrying a species of dopants and transporting the dopants under an electric field;
• forming an area within the active region that constrains current flow between the first electrode and the second electrode to a central portion of the active region;
• and
• forming an interlayer dielectric layer of a dielectric material outside the active region;
• wherein the switching material is a first metal oxide, and the area that constrains current flow is a lateral oxidation region of the switching material.