Multiferroic tunnel junctions with poly(vinylidene fluoride)

Authors

Julian P. Velev, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
Juan M. López-Encarnación, University of Puerto Rico
John D. Burton, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
Evgeny Y. Tsymbal, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow

Date of this Version

2012

Citation

PHYSICAL REVIEW B 85, 125103 (2012). DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevB.85.125103

Comments

Copyright © 2012 American Physical Society. Used by Permission.

Abstract

We perform first-principles calculations based on density functional theory of the spin-resolved conductance of poly(vinylidene fluoride)- (PVDF) based multiferroic tunnel junctions (MFTJs).We consider Co/PVDF/O/Co (0001) MFTJs with one oxidized interface, representing the different experimental growth conditions for the two interfaces. We demonstrate that this natural asymmetry leads to multiple resistance states associated with different magnetization configurations of the electrodes and ferroelectric polarization orientations of the barrier. Our results indicate very high tunability of the tunneling magnetoresistance and electroresistance effects, which could be useful for logic and memory applications.