Abstract
Based on first-principles calculations, we demonstrate the impact of the electric polarization on electron transport in ferroelectric tunnel junctions (FTJs). Using a FTJ as a model system, we show that the polarization of the barrier leads to a substantial drop in the tunneling conductance due to changes in the electronic structure driven by ferroelectric displacements. We find a sizable change in the transmission probability across the interface with polarization reversal, a signature of the electroresistance effect. These results reveal exciting prospects that FTJs offer as resistive switches in nanoscale electronic devices.
- Received 29 November 2006
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.98.137201
©2007 American Physical Society