Ferroelectric field effect in ultrathin SrRuO3 films

Abstract

We report the observation of a ferroelectric field effect in the conducting oxide SrRuO3 using Pb(Zr0.52Ti0.48)O3/SrRuO3 epitaxial heterostructures. Upon reversing the polarization of the ferroelectric Pb(Zr0.52Ti0.48)O3 layer, we measured a 9% change in the resistance of a nominally 30 Å SrRuO3 film at room temperature. This change was nonvolatile for a period of several days. Conductivity measurements taken between 4.2 and 300 K are consistent with n-type conduction throughout this temperature range. Hall effect measurements also yield n-type conduction, with n≈2×1022 electrons/cm3, and furthermore allow us to understand quantitatively the magnitude of the observed resistivity change.