Thermally-Driven Charge-Density-Wave Transitions in 1T-TaS2 Thin-Film Devices: Prospects for GHz Switching Speed

TL;DR

This study demonstrates room-temperature, nanosecond electrical switching in 1T-TaS2 thin-film devices driven by charge-density-wave phase transitions, with potential for GHz-speed operation through device miniaturization.

Contribution

It provides the first detailed time-resolved analysis of charge-density-wave switching in 1T-TaS2 thin films, linking thermal effects to switching behavior and proposing GHz operation feasibility.

Findings

Switching occurs at room temperature using nanosecond pulses.

Short pulses suppress self-heating, resulting in hysteresis-free I-V characteristics.

Device miniaturization could enable GHz switching speeds.

Abstract

We report on the room-temperature switching of 1T-TaS2 thin-film charge-density-wave devices, using nanosecond-duration electrical pulsing to construct their time-resolved current-voltage characteristics. The switching action is based upon the nearly-commensurate to incommensurate charge-density-wave phase transition in this material, which has a characteristic temperature of 350 K at thermal equilibrium. For sufficiently short pulses, with rise times in the nanosecond range, self-heating of the devices is suppressed, and their current-voltage characteristics are weakly non-linear and free of hysteresis. This changes as the pulse duration is increased to 200 ns, where the current develops pronounced hysteresis that evolves non-monotonically with the pulse duration. By combining the results of our experiments with a numerical analysis of transient heat diffusion in these devices, we clearly reveal the thermal origins of their switching. In spite of this thermal character, our modeling suggests that suitable reduction of the size of these devices should allow their operation at GHz frequencies.