Interfacial dead layer effects on current-voltage characteristics in asymmetric ferroelectric tunnel junctions

Abstract

Current-voltage characteristics and $P-E$ loops are simulated in SrRuO$_{3}$/BaTiO$_{3}$/Pt tunneling junctions with interfacial dead layer. The unswitchable interfacial polarization is coupled with the screen charge and the barrier polarization self-consistently within the Thomas-Fermi model and the Landau-Devonshire theory. The shift of P-E loop from the center position and the unequal values of the positive coercive field and the negative coercive field are found, which are induced by the asymmetricity of interface dipoles. A complete J-V curve of the junction is shown for different barrier thickness, and the effect of the magnitude of interfacial polarization on the tunneling current is also investigated.