1. A one time programmable memory element, comprising: an electronically insulating tunneling barrier having a conductivity; a first material that has a higher conductivity than the tunneling barrier and is in series with the tunneling barrier; and a second material that has an unprogrammed conductivity higher than the tunneling barrier and is in series with the tunneling barrier; wherein the tunneling barrier is disposed in between the first material and the second material; wherein an electric field across the tunneling barrier is effective to promote ion motion through the tunneling barrier to the second material, mobile ions being effective to create a low conductivity region within the second material, the low conductivity region having a lower conductivity than the unprogrammed conductivity; and wherein the memory element exhibits an unprogrammed resistance when the second material does not have a low conductivity region and a programmed resistance when the second material includes a low conductivity region, the unprogrammed resistance having a lower resistance than the programmed resistance.