Colossal electroresistance effect around room temperature in LuFe2O4

A colossal electroresistance effect is observed around room temperature in a transition metal oxide LuFe2O4. The measurements of resistance under various applied voltages as well as the highly nonlinear current-voltage characteristics reveal that a small electric field is able to drive the material from the insulating state to a metallic state. The threshold field at which the insulating-metallic transition occurs, decreases exponentially with increasing temperature. We interpret this transition as a consequence of the breakdown of the charge-ordered state triggered by applied electric field, which is supported by the dramatic dielectric response in a small electric field. This colossal electroresistance effect as well as the high dielectric tunability around room temperature in low applied fields makes LuFe2O4 a very promising material for many applications.