Resistive switching artificially induced in a dielectric/ferroelectric composite diode

Ferroelectric resistive switching was artificially induced in a conductive ferroelectric capacitor by inserting a thin dielectric layer at an electrode/ferroelectric interface. Ferroelectric capacitors consisting of semiconducting Bi-deficient Bi1−δFeO3 layers with SrRuO3 electrodes showed no resistive switching, but resistive switching emerged in these ferroelectric capacitors when a thin LaFeO3 dielectric layer was inserted at one of the SrRuO3/Bi1−δFeO3 interfaces. In addition to resistive switching, SrRuO3/LaFeO3/Bi1−δFeO3/SrRuO3 devices showed rectifying current–voltage characteristics, suggesting an asymmetric potential distribution along the stacking direction in the device. The results shed light upon the mechanism of resistive switching in ferroelectric diodes and demonstrate that interface engineering provides a simple but effective approach toward controlling the ferroelectric resistive switching characteristics.

[1]  M. Alexe,et al.  Room-temperature ferroelectric resistive switching in ultrathin Pb(Zr 0.2 Ti 0.8)O3 films. , 2011, ACS nano.

[2]  R. Dittmann,et al.  Redox‐Based Resistive Switching Memories – Nanoionic Mechanisms, Prospects, and Challenges , 2009, Advanced materials.

[3]  R. Waser,et al.  Nanoionics-based resistive switching memories. , 2007, Nature materials.

[4]  R. Waser,et al.  Hysteretic resistance concepts in ferroelectric thin films , 2006 .

[5]  Hiroyuki Yamada,et al.  Impact of Bi Deficiencies on Ferroelectric Resistive Switching Characteristics Observed at p‐Type Schottky‐Like Pt/Bi1–δFeO3 Interfaces , 2012 .

[6]  J. Robertson,et al.  Band gap and Schottky barrier heights of multiferroic BiFeO3 , 2007 .

[7]  J. Mannhart,et al.  Transport properties of LaTiO3+x films and heterostructures , 2003 .

[8]  E. Tsymbal,et al.  Tunneling electroresistance in ferroelectric tunnel junctions with a composite barrier , 2009, 0906.1524.

[9]  A. Sawa.  Resistive switching in transition metal oxides , 2008 .

[10]  J. Scott,et al.  Applications of Modern Ferroelectrics , 2007, Science.

[11]  T. Ren,et al.  Influence of La and Mn dopants on the current-voltage characteristics of BiFeO3/ZnO heterojunction , 2012 .

[12]  B. Silverman,et al.  Depolarization fields in thin ferroelectric films , 1973 .

[13]  E. Tsymbal,et al.  Giant Electroresistance in Ferroelectric Tunnel Junctions , 2005, cond-mat/0502109.

[14]  Rainer Waser,et al.  Resistive switching in metal–ferroelectric–metal junctions , 2003 .

[15]  Q. Jia,et al.  Rectifying current-voltage characteristics of BiFeO3∕Nb-doped SrTiO3 heterojunction , 2008 .

[16]  Electroresistance effects in ferroelectric tunnel barriers , 2010, 1006.1716.

[17]  S.-W. Cheong,et al.  Switchable Ferroelectric Diode and Photovoltaic Effect in BiFeO3 , 2009, Science.

[18]  Julie Grollier,et al.  Solid-state memories based on ferroelectric tunnel junctions. , 2012, Nature nanotechnology.

[19]  R. Ramesh,et al.  Epitaxial BiFeO3 Multiferroic Thin Film Heterostructures , 2003, Science.

[20]  C. Eom,et al.  Continuous Control of Charge Transport in Bi‐Deficient BiFeO3 Films Through Local Ferroelectric Switching , 2012 .

[21]  E. Tsymbal,et al.  Ferroelectric tunnel memristor. , 2012, Nano letters.

[22]  J. Grollier,et al.  A ferroelectric memristor. , 2012, Nature materials.

[23]  Yan-Feng Chen,et al.  Significant ferrimagnetisms observed in superlattice composed of antiferromagnetic LaFeO3 and YMnO3 , 2013 .

[24]  Tianjin Zhang,et al.  Optimal dielectric thickness for ferroelectric tunnel junctions with a composite barrier , 2012 .

[25]  Wolf,et al.  Ferroelectric Schottky diode. , 1994, Physical review letters.

[26]  Tokura,et al.  Variation of optical gaps in perovskite-type 3d transition-metal oxides. , 1993, Physical review. B, Condensed matter.

[27]  Cheol Seong Hwang,et al.  A Resistive Memory in Semiconducting BiFeO3 Thin‐Film Capacitors , 2011, Advanced materials.

[28]  Sergei V. Kalinin,et al.  Polarization Control of Electron Tunneling into Ferroelectric Surfaces , 2009, Science.

[29]  Sheng Ju,et al.  Effects of ferroelectric dead layer on the electron transport in ferroelectric tunneling junctions , 2011 .