In-plane charged domain walls with memristive behaviour in a ferroelectric film

Zhongran Liu, Han Wang, Ming Li, Lingling Tao, Tula R. Paudel, Hongyang Yu, Yuxuan Wang, Siyuan Hong, Meng Zhang, Zhaohui Ren, Yanwu Xie, Evgeny Y. Tsymbal (), Jingsheng Chen (), Ze Zhang () and He Tian ()
Additional contact information
Zhongran Liu: Zhejiang University
Han Wang: National University of Singapore
Ming Li: University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Lingling Tao: University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Tula R. Paudel: University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Hongyang Yu: Zhejiang University
Yuxuan Wang: Zhejiang University
Siyuan Hong: Zhejiang University
Meng Zhang: Zhejiang University
Zhaohui Ren: Zhejiang University
Yanwu Xie: Zhejiang University
Evgeny Y. Tsymbal: University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Jingsheng Chen: National University of Singapore
Ze Zhang: Zhejiang University
He Tian: Zhejiang University

Nature, 2023, vol. 613, issue 7945, 656-661

Abstract: Abstract Domain-wall nanoelectronics is considered to be a new paradigm for non-volatile memory and logic technologies in which domain walls, rather than domains, serve as an active element. Especially interesting are charged domain walls in ferroelectric structures, which have subnanometre thicknesses and exhibit non-trivial electronic and transport properties that are useful for various nanoelectronics applications1–3. The ability to deterministically create and manipulate charged domain walls is essential to realize their functional properties in electronic devices. Here we report a strategy for the controllable creation and manipulation of in-plane charged domain walls in BiFeO3 ferroelectric films a few nanometres thick. By using an in situ biasing technique within a scanning transmission electron microscope, an unconventional layer-by-layer switching mechanism is detected in which ferroelectric domain growth occurs in the direction parallel to an applied electric field. Based on atomically resolved electron energy-loss spectroscopy, in situ charge mapping by in-line electron holography and theoretical calculations, we show that oxygen vacancies accumulating at the charged domain walls are responsible for the domain-wall stability and motion. Voltage control of the in-plane domain-wall position within a BiFeO3 film gives rise to multiple non-volatile resistance states, thus demonstrating the key functional property of being a memristor a few unit cells thick. These results promote a better understanding of ferroelectric switching behaviour and provide a new strategy for creating unit-cell-scale devices.

Date: 2023
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DOI: 10.1038/s41586-022-05503-5

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