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Electric and Photovoltaic Switching by Ionic Migration with a Magnetic Record
Matthew Rogers1, Ahasan Habib1,2, Emiliano Poli3
1School of Physics & Astronomy, University of Leeds, Woodhouse Lane w/n, Leeds LS2 9JT, United Kingdom.
ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces
|July 21, 2026
Summary
Researchers developed novel memristors combining optical and magnetic functions. These devices exhibit unique photovoltaic effects and electrical properties influenced by magnetic history, paving the way for advanced memory and sensing technologies.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Nanotechnology
- Spintronics
Background:
- Integrating optical and magnetic functionalities in memristors offers potential for advanced applications like image recognition and low-power processing.
- Memristive devices are crucial for next-generation information storage and neuromorphic computing.
Purpose of the Study:
- To fabricate and characterize ferromagnetic-fullerene-manganese oxide memristors with combined optical and magnetic properties.
- To investigate the influence of voltage-induced ionic migration on the device's electrical and photovoltaic characteristics.
- To explore the potential of these devices for applications in optically sensitive memory and magnetic sensing.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of ferromagnetic-fullerene-manganese oxide heterostructures.
- Electrical characterization, including current-voltage (I-V) measurements to observe hysteretic behavior.
- Photovoltaic measurements to assess photocurrent dependence on light polarization and magnetization.
- Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations to understand the underlying electronic mechanisms.
Main Results:
- The fabricated memristors exhibited a hysteretic I-V characteristic and a photovoltaic effect.
- Photocurrent was found to be dependent on the relative alignment of magnetization and light polarization.
- Voltage-induced oxygen migration significantly reduced device resistivity, altered transport properties, and quenched the photovoltaic response.
- DFT calculations revealed changes in electronic structure and interface dipole due to ionic migration.
Conclusions:
- The study demonstrates a novel optically sensitive memristor with integrated magnetic sensing capabilities.
- Voltage-induced oxygen migration is identified as a key mechanism controlling the device's multifunctional behavior.
- These findings open new avenues for developing single-molecule scale memristive memories with combined optical, electrical, and magnetic functionalities.
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