Voltage controlled awakening of memristor-like dynamic current-voltage loops of ferroelectric triglycine sulphate

TL;DR

This paper investigates voltage-controlled reversible transformations of current-voltage loops in ferroelectric triglycine sulphate, revealing memristive behavior linked to ion migration and polarization dynamics in electrochemical structures.

Contribution

It demonstrates voltage-induced reversible switching between memristive and ferroelectric I-V loop shapes in TGS, highlighting ion transfer effects in electrochemical-ferroelectric systems.

Findings

Reversible transformation of I-V loops from non-linear dielectric to memristive and ferroelectric types.

Voltage-controlled 'awakening' and 'falling asleep' of memristor-like behavior.

Ion migration and polarization reversal are key to the observed effects.

Abstract

For the study of polarization reversal features in the structure of "mixed ionic-electronic conductor - on - ferroelectric" type, the hydrogen bonded molecular ferroelectric crystal triglycine sulphate (TGS) is used. The dynamic currant-voltage (I-V-) loops of thin TGS plates of polar (010) cut with dissimilar electrodes on the opposite surfaces (vacuum deposited Ag and Ag-paste diluted with a water-ethanol mixture) are investigated. After electroforming in the low-voltage vicinity of coercive voltage, during further cycling, a reversible transformation of I-V-loop shape occurs from typical of non-linear dielectrics to typical of memristive systems and than to typical of ferroelectrics (and vice versa) with a sequential increase (decrease) of drawing voltage amplitude. Such "awakening" and "falling asleep" of I-V-loops of the memristor type is apparently associated with reversible electromigration and accumulation of charged species (e.g., protons), in the hydrated surface layer of TGS as a component of electrochemical capacitor-on-ferroelectric structure. The observed transformation can be explained by considering the coupled ion transfer and polarization reversal taking into account the swinging of the boundary of the built-in chemical inhomogeneity under conditions of linear and/or nonlinear dynamics of ion drift and ionic concentration polarization caused by charged species transfer under the applied voltage.