Transport properties of a ferroelectric tunnel junction in bilayer ferroelectric/manganite structures

This paper presents the results of an experimental investigation of current flow through a ferroelectric nanolayer in a series of bilayer ferroelectric/manganite structures prepared by metalorganic aerosol deposition on a MgO substrate. It has been shown that a variation in the thickness of the ferroelectric layer in a bilayer ferroelectric/manganite structure leads to a change in the metal-insulator phase transition temperature of the manganite layer and also affects the transport properties of the ferroelectric/manganite structure. Based on the analysis of the experimental results, it is demonstrated that the ferroelectric layer up to 4 nm thick exhibits polarization properties. In the theoretical analysis, it is assumed that electrical conduction of bilayer structures is provided by a dual mechanism combining the electron tunneling through a ferroelectric barrier and the ohmic current flow in a manganite layer. The possibility of retaining the mechanism of charge carrier tunneling in a bilayer ferroelectric/manganite structure through the ferroelectric layer up to 6 nm thick is discussed.