Efficient Stable Multilevel Ferroelectric Tunnel Junctions Enabled by Layered 2D van der Waals Heterostructures

Through ESTRELLA I aim to develop energy efficient (i.e. field-driven), stable (retention time > 10-years), multilevel (16 state/4-bit) two-terminal devices based on 2D ferroelectric CuInP2S6 (CIPS).

The project will provide a comprehensive investigation of CIPS material properties both as an exfoliated film and when integrated in ferroelectric tunnel junction (FTJ) devices through multilayer vdW epitaxy.

The final devices aim to exploit the atomically sharp interfaces of vdW heterostructures, small domain wall energy and slow but stable switching of CIPS in order to produce a ferroelectric memory suitable for neuromorphic applications.

Furthermore, I will investigate the impact of different electrodes on tunnelling electroresistance (TER) and switching voltages in order to design an optimal CIPS-based FTJ.

This draws together my experience in the fields of ferroelectric devices and materials characterisation with that of the supervisor (Prof. Luis Hueso, CIC nanoGUNE), who is an expert on 2D materials and van der Waals (vdW) heterointegration.

ESTRELLA will target areas of materials science - heterointegration techniques, 2D film characterisation; physics - understanding of domain dynamics and 2D material interfacial interactions; and electrical engineering - targeting FTJ devices as building blocks for neuromorphic computing.

Parallel to my scientific work, with ESTRELLA I will develop skills as an independent researcher through publication and dissemination of my work, supervision, collaboration and project organisation.