Mott resistive switching initiated by topological defects

Resistive switching is the fundamental process that triggers the sudden\r\nchange of the electrical properties in solid-state devices under the action of\r\nintense electric fields. Despite its relevance for information processing,\r\nultrafast electronics, neuromorphic devices, resistive memories and\r\nbrain-inspired computation, the nature of the local stochastic fluctuations\r\nthat drive the formation of metallic nuclei out of the insulating state has\r\nremained hidden. Here, using operando X-ray nano-imaging, we have captured the\r\nearly-stages of resistive switching in a V2O3-based device under working\r\nconditions. V2O3 is a paradigmatic Mott material, which undergoes a first-order\r\nmetal-to-insulator transition coupled to a lattice transformation that breaks\r\nthe threefold rotational symmetry of the rhombohedral metal phase. We reveal a\r\nnew class of volatile electronic switching triggered by nanoscale topological\r\ndefects of the lattice order parameter of the insulating phase. Our results\r\npave the way to the use of strain engineering approaches to manipulate\r\ntopological defects and achieve the full control of the electronic Mott\r\nswitching. The concept of topology-driven reversible electronic transition is\r\nof interest for a broad class of quantum materials, comprising transition metal\r\noxides, chalcogenides and kagome metals, that exhibit first-order electronic\r\ntransitions coupled to a symmetry-breaking order.