Giant tunneling electroresistance (up to $\sim $10,000{\%}) in La$_{0.7}$Sr$_{0.3}$MnO$_{3}$/BaTiO$_{3}$/La$_{0.5}$Ca$_{0.5}$MnO$_{3}$/La$_{0.7}$Sr$_{0.3}$MnO$_{3}$ ferroelectric tunnel junctions

ORAL

Abstract

Tunnel junction with a Ferroelectric (FE) barrier (FTJ) presents an opportunity for nanoelectronics because of the bi-stable electric field control of the tunneling resistance. FTJs of La$_{0.7}$Sr$_{0.3}$MnO$_{3}$/BaTiO$_{3}$/La$_{0.5}$Ca$_{0.5}$MnO$_{3}$/La$_{0.7}$Sr$_{0.3}$MnO$_{3}$ have been fabricated with pulsed-laser deposition. The special feature in the FTJ design is to insert an ultrathin (0.4 - 1.2 nm) La$_{0.5}$Ca$_{0.5}$MnO$_{3}$ film between La$_{0.7}$Sr$_{0.3}$MnO$_{3}$ Ferromagnetic (FM) electrode and BaTiO$_{3}$ FE barrier. A giant and reproducible tunneling electroresistance effect ($\sim $10,000{\%}) was obtained with the reversal of FE polarization, about two orders of magnitude larger than the similar sized FTJ without the inserted La$_{0.5}$Ca$_{0.5}$MnO$_{3}$ layer. This result is consistent with the theoretical prediction [PRL 106, 157203 (2011)] that at a BaTiO$_{3}$/La$_{0.5}$Ca$_{0.5}$MnO$_{3}$ interface, an anti-FM insulating - FM metallic phase transition can occur in La$_{0.5}$Ca$_{0.5}$MnO$_{3}$ when the polarization of the BaTiO$_{3}$ is reversed due to the interfacial charge doping effect.

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Authors

  • Yuewei Yin

    • Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, Department of Physics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
    • Department of Physics, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA

  • Qi Li

    • Department of Physics, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA

  • J.D. Burton

    • Department of Physics and Astronomy, Nebraska Center for Materials and Nanoscience, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE 68588, USA

  • E.Y. Tsymbal

    • Department of Physics and Astronomy, Nebraska Center for Materials and Nanoscience, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE 68588, USA

  • X.G. Li

    • Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, Department of Physics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, PRC