Polarization-Mediated Modulation of Electronic and Transport Properties of Hybrid MoS2-BaTiO3-SrRuO3 Tunnel Junctions.

Hybrid structures composed of ferroelectric thin films and functional two-dimensional (2D) materials may exhibit unique characteristics and reveal new phenomena due to the cross-interface coupling between their intrinsic properties. In this report, we demonstrate a symbiotic interplay between spontaneous polarization of the ultrathin BaTiO3 ferroelectric film and conductivity of the adjacent molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) layer, a 2D narrow-bandgap semiconductor. Polarization-induced modulation of the electronic properties of MoS2 results in a giant tunneling electroresistance effect in the hybrid MoS2-BaTiO3-SrRuO3 ferroelectric tunnel junctions (FTJs) with an OFF-to-ON resistance ratio as high as 104, a 50-fold increase in comparison with the same type of FTJs with metal electrodes. The effect stems from the reversible accumulation-depletion of the majority carriers in the MoS2 electrode in response to ferroelectric switching, which alters the barrier at the MoS2-BaTiO3 interface. Continuous tunability of resistive states realized via stable sequential domain structures in BaTiO3 adds memristive functionality to the hybrid FTJs. The use of narrow band 2D semiconductors in conjunction with ferroelectric films provides a novel pathway for development of the electronic devices with enhanced performance.