Temperature dependences of ferroelectricity and resistive switching behavior of epitaxial BiFeO_3 thin films

We investigate the resistive switching and ferroelectric polarization properties of high-quality epitaxial BiFeO3 thin films in various temperature ranges. The room temperature current-voltage（I-V） curve exhibits a well-established polarization-modulated memristor behavior. At low temperatures（〈 253 K）, the I-V curve shows an open circuit voltage（OCV）, which possibly originates from the dielectric relaxation effects, accompanied with a current hump due to the polarization reversal displacement current. While at relative higher temperatures（〉 253 K）, the I-V behaviors are governed by both space-charge-limited conduction（SCLC） and Ohmic behavior. The polarization reversal is able to trigger the conduction switching from Ohmic to SCLC behavior, leading to the observed ferroelectric resistive switching. At a temperature of〉 298 K, there occurs a new resistive switching hysteresis at high bias voltages, which may be related to defect-mediated effects.