Giant switchable non thermally-activated conduction in 180° domain walls in tetragonal Pb(Zr,Ti)O3

Felix Risch, Yuri Tikhonov, Igor Lukyanchuk, Adrian M. Ionescu and Igor Stolichnov ()
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Felix Risch: Nanoelectronic Devices Laboratory (NanoLab), Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL)
Yuri Tikhonov: University of Picardie
Igor Lukyanchuk: University of Picardie
Adrian M. Ionescu: Nanoelectronic Devices Laboratory (NanoLab), Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL)
Igor Stolichnov: Nanoelectronic Devices Laboratory (NanoLab), Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL)

Nature Communications, 2022, vol. 13, issue 1, 1-10

Abstract: Abstract Conductive domain walls in ferroelectrics offer a promising concept of nanoelectronic circuits with 2D domain-wall channels playing roles of memristors or synoptic interconnections. However, domain wall conduction remains challenging to control and pA-range currents typically measured on individual walls are too low for single-channel devices. Charged domain walls show higher conductivity, but are generally unstable and difficult to create. Here, we show highly conductive and stable channels on ubiquitous 180° domain walls in the archetypical ferroelectric, tetragonal Pb(Zr,Ti)O3. These electrically erasable/rewritable channels show currents of tens of nanoamperes (200 to 400 nA/μm) at voltages ≤2 V and metallic-like non thermally-activated transport properties down to 4 K, as confirmed by nanoscopic mapping. The domain structure analysis and phase-field simulations reveal complex switching dynamics, in which the extraordinary conductivity in strained Pb(Zr,Ti)O3 films is explained by an interplay between ferroelastic a- and c-domains. This work demonstrates the potential of accessible and stable arrangements of nominally uncharged and electrically switchable domain walls for nanoelectronics.

Date: 2022
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-34777-6

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