Combination of informational storage and logical processing based on an all-oxide asymmetric multiferroic tunnel junction

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates an all-oxide asymmetric multiferroic tunnel junction that combines multiple resistive states through TMR, TER, and diode effects, enabling advanced multi-state memory and logic devices with higher density and lower energy use.

Contribution

It introduces a novel all-oxide asymmetric MFTJ with tunable resistive states, integrating logic and memory functionalities in a single device architecture.

Findings

Intrinsic rectification observed and modifiable by ferroelectric polarization.

Four distinct resistive states achieved under opposite biases.

Potential for high-density, low-energy multi-state memory and logic applications.

Abstract

Multiferroic tunnel junctions (MFTJs) have already been proved to be promising candidates for application in spintronics devices. The coupling between tunnel magnetoresistance (TMR) and tunnel electroresistance (TER) in MFTJs can provide four distinct resistive states in a single memory cell. Here we show that in an all-oxide asymmetric MFTJ of La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 /PbZr0.2Ti0.8O3 /La0.7Te0.3MnO3 (LSMO/PZT/LTMO) with p-type and n-type electrodes, the intrinsic rectification is observed and can be modified by the ferroelectric polarization of PZT. Owing to the combined TMR, TER and diode effects, two different groups of four resistive states under opposite reading biases are performed. With two parallel asymmetric junctions and the appropriate series resistance, the coexistence of logic units and quaternary memory cells can be realized in the same array devices. The asymmetric MFTJ structure enables more possibilities for designing next generation of multi-states memory and logical devices with higher storage density, lower energy consumption and significantly increased integration level.