
Non-volatile optical switch of resistance in photoferroelectric tunnel junctions
Xiao Long, Huan Tan, Florencio Sánchez, Ignasi Fina, Josep Fontcuberta Nature Communications volume 12, Article number: 382 (2021); DOI:10.1038/s41467-020-20660-9 Abstract In the quest for energy efficient and fast memory elements, optically controlled ferroelectric memories are promising candidates. Here, we show that, by taking advantage of the imprint electric field existing […]

Thermal evolution of ferroelectric behavior in epitaxial Hf0.5Zr0.5O2
J. W. Adkins, I. Fina, F. Sanchez, S. R. Bakaul, and J. T. Abiade Appl. Phys. Lett. 117, 142902 (2020); DOI: 10.1063/5.0015547 Abstract Herein, we report a cryogenic-temperature study on the evolution of the ferroelectric properties of epitaxial Hf0.5Zr0.5O2 thin films on silicon. Wake-up, endurance, and fatigue of these […]

Engineering Polar Oxyitrides: Hexagonal Perovskite BaWON2
Judith Oró‐Solé, Ignasi Fina, Carlos Frontera, Jaume Gàzquez, Clemens Ritter, Marina Cunquero, Pablo Loza‐Alvarez, Sergio Conejeros, Pere Alemany, , Enric Canadell, Josep Fontcuberta, Amparo Fuertes; Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2020, 59, 18395–18399; DOI:10.1002/anie.202006519 Abstract In the quest for materials of narrow band gap, oxynitrides are excellent candidates. Aiming at obtaining a […]

Magnetic droplet solitons featured
F. Macià and A. D. Kent Journal of Applied Physics 128, 100901 (2020) DOI: 10.1063/5.0018251 Abstract Magnetic droplet solitons are dynamical magnetic textures that form due to an attractive interaction between spin waves in thin films with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy. Spin currents and the spin torques associated with these currents […]

On the Promotion of Catalytic Reactions by Surface Acoustic Waves
B. von Boehn, M. Foerster, J. Prat , F. Macià, B. Casals, M. Waqas Khaliq, A. Hernández-Mínguez, L. Aballe, R. Imbih Angewandte 2020 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202005883 Abstract Surface acoustic waves (SAW) allow to manipulate surfaces with potential applications in catalysis, sensor and nanotechnology. SAWs were shown to cause a strong increase […]

Fatigue and retention in the growth window of ferroelectric Hf0.5Zr0.5O2 thin films
J. Lyu, I. Fina, and F. Sánchez Appl. Phys. Lett. 117, 072901 (2020); DOI: 10.1063/5.0017738 Abstract The growth window of epitaxial Hf0.5Zr0.5O2 is established taking into account the main ferroelectric properties that films have to present simultaneously: high remanent polarization, low fatigue, and long retention. Defects in the film and […]

Photoinduced Persistent Electron Accumulation and Depletion in LaAlO3/SrTiO3 Quantum Wells.
Y. Chen, Y. Lechaux, B. Casals, B. Guillet, A. Minj, J. Gázquez, L. Méchin, and G. Herranz Phys. Rev. Lett. 124, 246804 (2020) DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.124.246804 Abstract Persistent photoconductance is a phenomenon found in many semiconductors, by which light induces long-lived excitations in electronic states. Commonly, persistent photoexcitation leads to an […]

Blocking of Conducting Channels Widens Window for Ferroelectric Resistive Switching in Interface-Engineered Hf0.5Zr0.5O2 Tunnel Devices
M. Cervo Sulzbach, S. Estandía, J. Gàzquez, F. Sánchez, I. Fina, and J. Fontcuberta Adv. Funct. Mater. 2002638 (2020) DOI: 10.1002/adfm.202002638 Abstract Films of Hf0.5Z0.5O2 (HZO) contain a network of grain boundaries. In (111) HZO epitaxial films on (001) SrTiO3, for instance, twinned orthorhombic (o‐HZO) ferroelectric crystallites coexist with grain boundaries […]

Local manipulation of metamagnetism by strain nanopatterning
M. Foerster, E. Menéndez, E. Coy, A. Quintana, C. Gómez-Olivella, D. Esqué de los Ojos, O. Vallcorba, C. Frontera, L. Aballe, J. Nogués, J. Sort, and I. Fina Materials Horizons, 2020, DOI: 10.1039/D0MH00601G Abstract Among metamagnetic materials, FeRh alloys are technologically appealing due to their uncommon antiferromagnetic-to-ferromagnetic metamagnetic transition which […]