Electric field induced Mott-insulator to metal transition and memristive behaviour in epitaxial V$_2$O$_3$ thin film

Abstract

We report an isothermal electric field-induced first-order phase transition from Mott-insulator to the metallic state in the epitaxial thin film of V$_2$O$_3$ in the temperature regime below its Mott transition temperature $\approx$ 180 K. This isothermal electric field induced transition is accompanied by interesting electro-thermal history effects, which depend on the measurement paths followed in the electric field - temperature phase space. These interesting properties result in tuneable resistive switching and distinct memristive behavior in V$_2$O$_3$. A generalized framework of disorder-influenced first-order phase transition in combination with a resistor network model has been used to explain the observed experimental features. These findings promise possibilities for Mott insulators to be highly energy-efficient switches in novel technologies like neuromorphic computing.