Numerical investigation into the switchable diode effect in metal-ferroelectric-metal structures

Abstract

A self-consistent numerical model, particularly including the incomplete screening effect of metal electrodes, is introduced to reveal the mechanism of the switchable diode characteristics in metal/ferroelectric/metal structures. The calculated results are in good agreement with recent experimental data, theoretically demonstrating the important role played by the polarization-modulated barrier. Our calculations confirm that electrodes with a smaller permittivity, such as noble metals, are better choices to obtain a more pronounced switchable diode effect, and the barrier height variation as a function of the polarization will deviate from the linear relationship if the carrier concentration induced by the polarization becomes sufficiently high.