TY - JOUR
KW - Lead
KW - Oxide
KW - Zirconium
KW - Hysteresis
KW - Atomic force microscopy
KW - Polarization
KW - Electric field
KW - Article
KW - Controlled study
KW - Priority journal
KW - Titanium
KW - Ferric oxide
KW - Titanate
KW - Electron transport
KW - Dielectric property
KW - Electric current
KW - Reproducibility
KW - Surface charge
KW - Thin filament
AU - P Maksymovych
AU - S Jesse
AU - P Yu
AU - Ramamoorthy Ramesh
AU - A.P Baddorf
AU - S.V Kalininl
AB - We demonstrate a highly reproducible control of local electron transport through a ferroelectric oxide via its spontaneous polarization. Electrons are injected from the tip of an atomic force microscope into a thin film of lead-zirconate titanate, Pb(Zr0.2Ti0.8)O3, in the regime of electron tunneling assisted by a high electric field (Fowler-Nordheim tunneling). The tunneling current exhibits a pronounced hysteresis with abrupt switching events that coincide, within experimental resolution, with the local switching of ferroelectric polarization. The large spontaneous polarization of the PZT film results in up to 500-fold amplification of the tunneling current upon ferroelectric switching. The magnitude of the effect is subject to electrostatic control via ferroelectric switching, suggesting possible applications in ultrahigh-density data storage and spintronics.
BT - Science
DO - 10.1126/science.1171200
LA - eng
M1 - 5933
N1 - cited By 337
N2 - We demonstrate a highly reproducible control of local electron transport through a ferroelectric oxide via its spontaneous polarization. Electrons are injected from the tip of an atomic force microscope into a thin film of lead-zirconate titanate, Pb(Zr0.2Ti0.8)O3, in the regime of electron tunneling assisted by a high electric field (Fowler-Nordheim tunneling). The tunneling current exhibits a pronounced hysteresis with abrupt switching events that coincide, within experimental resolution, with the local switching of ferroelectric polarization. The large spontaneous polarization of the PZT film results in up to 500-fold amplification of the tunneling current upon ferroelectric switching. The magnitude of the effect is subject to electrostatic control via ferroelectric switching, suggesting possible applications in ultrahigh-density data storage and spintronics.
PY - 2009
SP - 1421
EP - 1425
T2 - Science
TI - Polarization control of electron tunneling into ferroelectric surfaces
VL - 324
SN - 00368075
ER -