Embedded metallic nanoparticles facilitate metastability of switchable metallic domains in Mott threshold switches

Mott threshold switching, which is observed in quantum materials featuring an electrically fired insulator-to-metal transition, calls for delicate control of the percolative dynamics of electrically switchable domains on a nanoscale. Here, we demonstrate that embedded metallic nanoparticles (NP) dramatically promote metastability of switchable metallic domains in single-crystal-like VO₂ Mott switches. Using a model system of Pt-NP-VO₂ single-crystal-like films, interestingly, the embedded Pt NPs provide 33.3 times longer ‘memory’ of previous threshold metallic conduction by serving as pre-formed ‘stepping-stones’ in the switchable VO₂ matrix by consecutive electical pulse measurement; persistent memory of previous firing during the application of sub-threshold pulses was achieved on a six orders of magnitude longer timescale than the single-pulse recovery time of the insulating resistance in Pt-NP-VO₂ Mott switches. This discovery offers a fundamental strategy to exploit the geometric evolution of switchable domains in electrically fired transition and potential applications for non-Boolean computing using quantum materials.