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Giant tunnelling electroresistance in metal/ferroelectric/semiconductor tunnel junctions by engineering the Schottky barrier

Author

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  • Zhongnan Xi

    (College of Physics, Qingdao University)

  • Jieji Ruan

    (National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures, and Collaborative Innovation Center for Advanced Materials, Nanjing University)

  • Chen Li

    (National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures, and Collaborative Innovation Center for Advanced Materials, Nanjing University)

  • Chunyan Zheng

    (College of Physics, Qingdao University)

  • Zheng Wen

    (College of Physics, Qingdao University
    National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures, and Collaborative Innovation Center for Advanced Materials, Nanjing University
    The Hong Kong Polytechnic University)

  • Jiyan Dai

    (The Hong Kong Polytechnic University)

  • Aidong Li

    (National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures, and Collaborative Innovation Center for Advanced Materials, Nanjing University)

  • Di Wu

    (National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures, and Collaborative Innovation Center for Advanced Materials, Nanjing University)

Abstract

Recently, ferroelectric tunnel junctions have attracted much attention due to their potential applications in non-destructive readout non-volatile memories. Using a semiconductor electrode has been proven effective to enhance the tunnelling electroresistance in ferroelectric tunnel junctions. Here we report a systematic investigation on electroresistance of Pt/BaTiO3/Nb:SrTiO3 metal/ferroelectric/semiconductor tunnel junctions by engineering the Schottky barrier on Nb:SrTiO3 surface via varying BaTiO3 thickness and Nb doping concentration. The optimum ON/OFF ratio as great as 6.0 × 106, comparable to that of commercial Flash memories, is achieved in a device with 0.1 wt% Nb concentration and a 4-unit-cell-thick BaTiO3 barrier. With this thinnest BaTiO3 barrier, which shows a negligible resistance to the tunnelling current but is still ferroelectric, the device is reduced to a polarization-modulated metal/semiconductor Schottky junction that exhibits a more efficient control on the tunnelling resistance to produce the giant electroresistance observed. These results may facilitate the design of high performance non-volatile resistive memories.

Suggested Citation

  • Zhongnan Xi & Jieji Ruan & Chen Li & Chunyan Zheng & Zheng Wen & Jiyan Dai & Aidong Li & Di Wu, 2017. "Giant tunnelling electroresistance in metal/ferroelectric/semiconductor tunnel junctions by engineering the Schottky barrier," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 8(1), pages 1-9, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:8:y:2017:i:1:d:10.1038_ncomms15217
    DOI: 10.1038/ncomms15217
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