Ultrafast non-thermal and thermal switching in charge configuration memory devices based on 1T-TaS2

Abstract

Charge configuration memory (CCM) device operation is based on the controllable reconfiguration of electronic domains in a charge-density-wave material. Since the dominant effect involves the manipulation of electrons rather than atoms, the devices can display sub-picosecond switching speed and ultralow, few femtojoule switching energy. The mechanisms involved in switching between domain states of different electrical resistances are highly non-trivial and involve trapping non-equilibrium charges within topologically protected domain states. Here, we discuss the underlying physics that are deemed essential for the operation of CCM devices, focusing on the unusual asymmetry between non-thermal “write” processes and thermal “erase” processes from the point of view of the mechanism in relation to the thermal dynamics.