Abstract
For developing the high-density and high-speed nonvolatile memory storage, the photoassisted electric field modulation of resistive switching in ferroelectric heterostructures is studied. Highly strained epitaxial BiFeO3 heterostructures are fabricated on LaAlO3 substrates by magnetron sputtering. The electric field-modulated wide range multilevel resistance and switchable photovoltaic effects are observed in these heterostructures. It is found that the electric field-modulated interfacial barrier can be further affected by the photogenerated excitons. Therefore, a co-modulation of light illumination and electric field on the resistive switching behavior is demonstrated, which generates four nonvolatile resistance states.