Nanocomposite Oxide Thin Films For Novel Ionotronic Magnetoelectrics
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Cambridge
Department Name: Materials Science & Metallurgy
Abstract
Ionotronic devices rely on charge effects based on ions instead of/or in addition to electrons. The field has begun to gain very wide attention recently. It has been applied mainly to oxide thin film memristors (resistance depends on voltage and can be switched between an 'on' and an 'off' state of high and low resistance). These devices are interesting for creating electrically switchable memory, but there are challenges with these structures including the requirement of a setting process and variable properties from one film to another.
In this proposal, we have the new idea to utilise ionotronic effects to create a new kind of electrically switchable memory. Here ionic defects at vertical interfaces in vertical nanocomposite thin films charge couple to magnetism in a magnetic transition metal oxide. Since the cation valences in the metal oxide depend on oxygen concentration or charge state, and since the magnetic properties depend on cation valences, it should be possible to switch magnetism on and off by applying an electric field. This device is an ionotronic magnetoelectric, and it represents a completely new form of magnetoelectric RAM.
Magnetoelectric RAM is where electric field controls magnetism instead of electric current doing so as in other forms of RAM, and it is a long sought-after goal. It offers the possibility of low power, very high density, high-speed reading and writing times, and non-volatility. Low energy, high performance computing is promised with this technology. However, while a range of structures and materials have been studied to date, none has proved practical in terms of ease of structure formation, stability, temperature of operation, or size of magnetoelectric effect.
Making the ionotronic magnetoelectric a practical reality is not trivial, and relies on advanced materials science - the growth of very thin films, the creation of highly ordered materials combinations on a very small scale (1/0000 the thickness of a human hair), the movement of charges along interface nanochannels near to room temperature, the knowledge of which materials combine together in a compatible way, the imaging of materials at the atomic scale, etc. To attain the 'practical magnetoelectric' dream we propose to create and measure new structures, we will use unique experimental capabilities and will also collaborate with world-leading researchers. Our starting point for the research is our ability to create, at the nanometre scale, ionic interface channels in perfect vertical nanocomposite films. We have also observed the first signs that ions can indeed charge couple to magnetic properties.
In this proposal, we have the new idea to utilise ionotronic effects to create a new kind of electrically switchable memory. Here ionic defects at vertical interfaces in vertical nanocomposite thin films charge couple to magnetism in a magnetic transition metal oxide. Since the cation valences in the metal oxide depend on oxygen concentration or charge state, and since the magnetic properties depend on cation valences, it should be possible to switch magnetism on and off by applying an electric field. This device is an ionotronic magnetoelectric, and it represents a completely new form of magnetoelectric RAM.
Magnetoelectric RAM is where electric field controls magnetism instead of electric current doing so as in other forms of RAM, and it is a long sought-after goal. It offers the possibility of low power, very high density, high-speed reading and writing times, and non-volatility. Low energy, high performance computing is promised with this technology. However, while a range of structures and materials have been studied to date, none has proved practical in terms of ease of structure formation, stability, temperature of operation, or size of magnetoelectric effect.
Making the ionotronic magnetoelectric a practical reality is not trivial, and relies on advanced materials science - the growth of very thin films, the creation of highly ordered materials combinations on a very small scale (1/0000 the thickness of a human hair), the movement of charges along interface nanochannels near to room temperature, the knowledge of which materials combine together in a compatible way, the imaging of materials at the atomic scale, etc. To attain the 'practical magnetoelectric' dream we propose to create and measure new structures, we will use unique experimental capabilities and will also collaborate with world-leading researchers. Our starting point for the research is our ability to create, at the nanometre scale, ionic interface channels in perfect vertical nanocomposite films. We have also observed the first signs that ions can indeed charge couple to magnetic properties.
Planned Impact
This research has both fundamental and applied aspects. On a fundamental level we are exploring a new paradigm in thin film materials design and nanostructuring. We aim to develop a plug-in approach for designing new systems in the future. The impact here will be the generation of knowledge in an entirely new area which could have long-term societal and economic benefits.
There are also applied aspects to our work. Our main thrust is to demonstrate devices with properties above and beyond what can be generated by any other means. Examples are that we have recently patented a high performance, non-forming process, high retention memristor nanocomposite device. We are now aiming to move well beyond this, to create a practical magnetoelectric device. These systems have potential in new types of fast, low power consumption computer memory. We will patent actively in the area and seek external licensors. We have a very good track record in getting patents licensed. There is clear economic impact from patent licensing. We will also liaise closely with 2 industries (Deregallera, UK, and Applied Materials, USA and Germany) who are keen to be involved in the project.
As far as societal impact goes, we will generate highly skilled technical researchers within an international training environment. Cambridge is a high tech. hub with many job openings for technically skilled people. Our trained researchers have gone to both local companies and international ones. Also, several of our researchers have got good jobs in academia in the UK and EU. This proposal will allow us to keep feeding excellent researchers into companies and academia which will have direct benefit to UK society and the knowledge economy.
There are also applied aspects to our work. Our main thrust is to demonstrate devices with properties above and beyond what can be generated by any other means. Examples are that we have recently patented a high performance, non-forming process, high retention memristor nanocomposite device. We are now aiming to move well beyond this, to create a practical magnetoelectric device. These systems have potential in new types of fast, low power consumption computer memory. We will patent actively in the area and seek external licensors. We have a very good track record in getting patents licensed. There is clear economic impact from patent licensing. We will also liaise closely with 2 industries (Deregallera, UK, and Applied Materials, USA and Germany) who are keen to be involved in the project.
As far as societal impact goes, we will generate highly skilled technical researchers within an international training environment. Cambridge is a high tech. hub with many job openings for technically skilled people. Our trained researchers have gone to both local companies and international ones. Also, several of our researchers have got good jobs in academia in the UK and EU. This proposal will allow us to keep feeding excellent researchers into companies and academia which will have direct benefit to UK society and the knowledge economy.
Organisations
- University of Cambridge (Lead Research Organisation)
- Los Alamos National Laboratory (Collaboration, Project Partner)
- Purdue University (Collaboration)
- Imperial College London (Project Partner)
- University of Warwick (Project Partner)
- Applied Materials (United States) (Project Partner)
- Texas A&M University (Project Partner)
- Deregallera (United Kingdom) (Project Partner)
People |
ORCID iD |
| Judith Driscoll (Principal Investigator) |
Publications
Abfalterer A
(2020)
Colloidal Synthesis and Optical Properties of Perovskite-Inspired Cesium Zirconium Halide Nanocrystals.
in ACS materials letters
Baiutti F
(2021)
A high-entropy manganite in an ordered nanocomposite for long-term application in solid oxide cells.
in Nature communications
Chen A
(2019)
Competing Interface and Bulk Effect-Driven Magnetoelectric Coupling in Vertically Aligned Nanocomposites
in Advanced Science
Chen A
(2017)
Hidden Interface Driven Exchange Coupling in Oxide Heterostructures.
in Advanced materials (Deerfield Beach, Fla.)
Chen A
(2019)
Strain Enhanced Functionality in a Bottom-Up Approach Enabled 3D Super-Nanocomposites
in Advanced Functional Materials
Choi EM
(2020)
Nanoengineering room temperature ferroelectricity into orthorhombic SmMnO3 films.
in Nature communications
Coll M
(2019)
Atomic layer deposition of functional multicomponent oxides
in APL Materials
Di Martino G
(2020)
Real-time in situ optical tracking of oxygen vacancy migration in memristors
in Nature Electronics
Dou H
(2021)
Electroforming-Free HfO 2 :CeO 2 Vertically Aligned Nanocomposite Memristors with Anisotropic Dielectric Response
in ACS Applied Electronic Materials
Fu G
(2021)
Facilitating the Deprotonation of OH to O through Fe4+ -Induced States in Perovskite LaNiO3 Enables a Fast Oxygen Evolution Reaction.
in Small (Weinheim an der Bergstrasse, Germany)
Giri S
(2019)
Strain induced extrinsic magnetocaloric effects in La 0.67 Sr 0.33 MnO 3 thin films, controlled by magnetic field
in Journal of Physics D: Applied Physics
Hoye RLZ
(2019)
Identifying and Reducing Interfacial Losses to Enhance Color-Pure Electroluminescence in Blue-Emitting Perovskite Nanoplatelet Light-Emitting Diodes.
in ACS energy letters
Huang J
(2017)
New epitaxy paradigm in epitaxial self-assembled oxide vertically aligned nanocomposite thin films
in Journal of Materials Research
Huang J
(2021)
Tailoring physical functionalities of complex oxides by vertically aligned nanocomposite thin-film design
in MRS Bulletin
Huq T
(2020)
Electronic Structure and Optoelectronic Properties of Bismuth Oxyiodide Robust against Percent-Level Iodine-, Oxygen-, and Bismuth-Related Surface Defects
in Advanced Functional Materials
Jagt R
(2020)
Rapid Vapor-Phase Deposition of High-Mobility p -Type Buffer Layers on Perovskite Photovoltaics for Efficient Semitransparent Devices
in ACS Energy Letters
Ji Y
(2019)
Tuning critical phase transition in VO2 via interfacial control of normal and shear strain
in Applied Physics Letters
Kim YS
(2018)
Nanoporous Films and Nanostructure Arrays Created by Selective Dissolution of Water-Soluble Materials.
in Advanced science (Weinheim, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany)
Kosasih F
(2023)
Sodium Diffuses from Glass Substrates through P1 Lines and Passivates Defects in Perovskite Solar Modules
in ENERGY & ENVIRONMENTAL MATERIALS
Kursumovic A
(2020)
Lead-free relaxor thin films with huge energy density and low loss for high temperature applications
in Nano Energy
Lee O
(2021)
Ferroelectric/multiferroic self-assembled vertically aligned nanocomposites: Current and future status
in APL Materials
Lee S
(2017)
Research Update: Fast and tunable nanoionics in vertically aligned nanostructured films
in APL Materials
Li W
(2018)
Oxygen-vacancy-mediated dielectric property in perovskite Eu0.5Ba0.5TiO3-d epitaxial thin films
in Applied Physics Letters
Li W
(2018)
Origin of Improved Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting in Mixed Perovskite Oxides
in Advanced Energy Materials
Li W
(2017)
Insulating-to-conducting behavior and band profile across the La 0.9 Ba 0.1 MnO 3 / Nb : SrTiO 3 epitaxial interface
in Physical Review B
Li W
(2020)
Defects in complex oxide thin films for electronics and energy applications: challenges and opportunities
in Materials Horizons
Li W
(2020)
Atomic-Scale Control of Electronic Structure and Ferromagnetic Insulating State in Perovskite Oxide Superlattices by Long-Range Tuning of BO 6 Octahedra
in Advanced Functional Materials
Li W
(2020)
Interface Engineered Room-Temperature Ferromagnetic Insulating State in Ultrathin Manganite Films.
in Advanced science (Weinheim, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany)
Lin Y
(2020)
Vertical Strain-Driven Antiferromagnetic to Ferromagnetic Phase Transition in EuTiO3 Nanocomposite Thin Films.
in ACS applied materials & interfaces
MacManus-Driscoll J
(2023)
Interface-related phenomena in epitaxial complex oxide ferroics across different thin film platforms: opportunities and challenges
in Materials Horizons
MacManus-Driscoll J
(2020)
New approaches for achieving more perfect transition metal oxide thin films
in APL Materials
Nagane S
(2021)
Tetrafluoroborate-Induced Reduction in Defect Density in Hybrid Perovskites through Halide Management.
in Advanced materials (Deerfield Beach, Fla.)
Napari M
(2020)
Antiferromagnetism and p-type conductivity of nonstoichiometric nickel oxide thin films
in InfoMat
Nicolenco A
(2021)
Strain-gradient effects in nanoscale-engineered magnetoelectric materials
in APL Materials
Pan H
(2023)
Interplay of polarization, strength, and loss in dielectric films for capacitive energy storage: Current status and future directions
in Journal of Materiomics
Pan H
(2020)
Dielectric films for high performance capacitive energy storage: multiscale engineering.
in Nanoscale
Park C
(2018)
Use of Mesoscopic Host Matrix to Induce Ferrimagnetism in Antiferromagnetic Spinel Oxide
in Advanced Functional Materials
Senanayak S
(2023)
Charge transport in mixed metal halide perovskite semiconductors
in Nature Materials
Shi J
(2022)
Modulation of the Bi3+ 6s2 Lone Pair State in Perovskites for High-Mobility p-Type Oxide Semiconductors.
in Advanced science (Weinheim, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany)
Singh S
(2019)
Growth of Doped SrTiO3 Ferroelectric Nanoporous Thin Films and Tuning of Photoelectrochemical Properties with Switchable Ferroelectric Polarization.
in ACS applied materials & interfaces
Sun X
(2020)
Spontaneous Ordering of Oxide-Oxide Epitaxial Vertically Aligned Nanocomposite Thin Films
in Annual Review of Materials Research
Sun X
(2019)
Strain and property tuning of the 3D framed epitaxial nanocomposite thin films via interlayer thickness variation
in Journal of Applied Physics
Sun X
(2018)
Three-dimensional strain engineering in epitaxial vertically aligned nanocomposite thin films with tunable magnetotransport properties
in Materials Horizons
Tian C
(2020)
Electronic Structure, Optical Properties, and Photoelectrochemical Activity of Sn-Doped Fe 2 O 3 Thin Films
in The Journal of Physical Chemistry C
Wang T
(2018)
Bottom-up Formation of Carbon-Based Structures with Multilevel Hierarchy from MOF-Guest Polyhedra.
in Journal of the American Chemical Society
Wang T
(2019)
Rational approach to guest confinement inside MOF cavities for low-temperature catalysis.
in Nature communications
Wu R
(2018)
All-Oxide Nanocomposites to Yield Large, Tunable Perpendicular Exchange Bias above Room Temperature.
in ACS applied materials & interfaces
Wu R
(2021)
Self-biased magnetoelectric switching at room temperature in three-phase ferroelectric-antiferromagnetic-ferrimagnetic nanocomposites
in Nature Electronics
| Description | We have determined that we can achieve a strong magnetoelectric effect in nanocomposite films incorporating ionic and magnetic phases in a single, self-assembled film. A direct electric field manipulation of magnetism in a practical film has not be achieved before. We are in the process of preparing papers and on further understanding and developing demonstrator devices |
| Exploitation Route | It may be used in practical magnetoelectric RAM, but this will not happen right away. |
| Sectors | Electronics |
| Description | ECCS - EPSRC Development of uniform, low power, high density resistive memory by vertical interface and defect design |
| Amount | £384,241 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | EP/T012218/1 |
| Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 08/2019 |
| End | 08/2022 |
| Title | Research data supporting "Real-Time In-Situ Optical Tracking of Oxygen Vacancy Migration in Memristors" |
| Description | |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2020 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| URL | https://www.repository.cam.ac.uk/handle/1810/311290 |
| Description | Los Alamos National Laboratory |
| Organisation | Los Alamos National Laboratory |
| Country | United States |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | Sharing of ideas and samples and papers |
| Collaborator Contribution | Equipment, measurements and discussions |
| Impact | many of the listed papers |
| Start Year | 2017 |
| Description | Purdue Univ. |
| Organisation | Purdue University |
| Country | United States |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | TEM done on our materials. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Lots of TEM |
| Impact | Many papers. Further EPSRC funding. |
| Start Year | 2017 |
| Description | EMA 2018, January, Orlando Florida |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | EMA 2018, January, Orlando Florida |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| Description | EMA 2019, January, Orlando Florida |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | EMA 2019, January, Orlando Florida |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | EMA conference in Florida, January 2017 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Talk given. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| Description | Fall MRS Conference, Boston, 2016 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Talk given on the research from this proposal |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| Description | Heraeus magnetoionics meeting Germany |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Talk on magnetoionics |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| Description | IWAM 2018 conference |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | talk on nano composite thin films |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| Description | IWAM 2019 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Talk on superlattices compared to nanocomposites |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | IWAM 2020 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | talk on magnetoelectrics and ionics |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| Description | Resisistive switching |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | i am organising this meeting on memory. We will all present many poster presentations at it. https://horizons.aip.org/materials-challenges/ |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://horizons.aip.org/materials-challenges/ |
| Description | talk on ionotronic magnetoelectrics at Los Alamos national lab. 7.2018 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Talk on magnetoeletric/ magnetoionics |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |