Polarity-tunable spin transport in all-oxide multiferroic tunnel junctions

Abstract

A multiferroic tunnel junction (MFTJ) promisingly offers multinary memory states in response to electric- and magnetic-fields, referring to tunneling electroresistance (TER) and tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR), respectively. In spite of recent progress, a substantial number of questions concerning the understanding of these two intertwined phenomena still remain open, e.g. the role of microstructural/chemical asymmetry at the interfaces of the junction and the effect of an electrode material on the MFTJ properties. In this regard, we look into the multiferroic effect of all-complex-oxide MFTJ (La_0.7Sr_0.3MnO₃/Pb(Zr_0.3Ti_0.7)O₃/La_0.7Sr_0.3MnO₃). The results reveal apparent TER-TMR interplay—captured by the reversible electric-field control of the TMR effect. Finally, microscopy analysis on the MFTJ revealed that the observed TER-TMR interplay is perhaps mediated by microstructural and chemical asymmetry in our nominally symmetric MFTJ.