Giant Nonvolatile Multistate Resistance with Fully Magnetically Controlled van der Waals Multiferroic Tunnel Junctions
Zhi Yan, Xujin Zhang, Jianhua Xiao, Fang Cheng, Xiaohong Xu
Abstract
Ferroelectric polarization switching in electrically controlled van der Waals multiferroic tunnel junctions (vdW-MFTJs) causes atomic migration, compromising device stability and fatigue resistance. Here, we propose fully magnetically controlled vdW-MFTJs based on a CrBr 3 /MnPSe 3 /CrBr 3 vertical heterostructure, achieving ferroelectric polarization reversal without atomic migration. First-principles calculations reveal that integrating PtTe 2 /alkali-metal (Li/Na/K)-doped/intercalated CrBr 3 electrodes enables exceptional performance, with a maximum tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) of 8.1 × 10 5 % and tunneling electroresistance (TER) of 2499%. Applying an external bias voltage enhances the TMR to 3.6 × 10 7 % and the TER to 9990%. A pronounced negative differential resistance (NDR) effect is observed with a record peak-to-valley ratio (PVR) of 9.55 × 10 9 % for vertical tunnel junctions. The spin-filtering channels are flexibly controlled by the magnetization direction of the magnetic free layer, achieving perfect spin-filtering over a broad bias range. This work paves the way for the experimental exploration of fully magnetically controlled vdW-MFTJs.