Transport studies of atomically thin 1T-TaS₂ have demonstrated the presence of intermediate resistance states across the nearly commensurate (NC) to commensurate (C) charge density wave (CDW) transition, which can be further switched electrically. While this presents exciting opportunities for memristor applications, the switching mechanism could be potentially attributed to the formation of inhomogeneous C and NC domains. Here, we present combined electrical driving and photocurrent imaging of ultrathin 1T-TaS₂ in a heterostructure geometry. While micron-sized CDW domains are seen upon cooling, electrically driven transitions are largely uniform, indicating that the latter likely induces true metastable CDW states, which we then explain by a free energy analysis. Additionally, we are able to perform repeatable and bidirectional switching across the intermediate states without changing sample temperature, demonstrating that atomically thin 1T-TaS₂ can be further used as a robust and reversible multimemristor material for the first time.

中文翻译：

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二维1T-TaS2中多忆阻电荷密度波切换的光电流成像。

原子薄的1T-TaS _2的输运研究表明，在几乎相称（NC）到相称（C）的电荷密度波（CDW）跃迁之间存在中间电阻状态，可以进一步进行电转换。虽然这为忆阻器应用提供了令人兴奋的机会，但转换机制可能潜在地归因于不均匀的C和NC域的形成。在这里，我们介绍超薄的1T-TaS _2的电驱动和光电流成像的组合。在异质结构几何中。虽然在冷却时可以看到微米级的CDW域，但电驱动的跃迁在很大程度上是均匀的，这表明后者可能诱发真正的亚稳态CDW状态，然后我们通过自由能分析来解释。此外，我们能够在不改变样品温度的情况下在中间状态之间进行可重复和双向切换，这表明原子薄的1T-TaS ₂可以首次进一步用作坚固且可逆的多忆阻材料。