Abstract
Among many mechanisms proposed for electroresistance, ones involving structural changes are the least understood because of challenges of controllability and repeatability. Yet structural changes can cause dramatic changes in electronic properties, leading to multiple ways in which conduction paths can be opened and closed, not limited to filament movement or variation in molecular conductance. Here we show at least another way: conformational dependence of the Coulomb charging energy of a nanocluster, where charging induced conformational distortion changes the blockade voltage, which in turn leads to a giant electroresistance. This intricate interplay between charging and conformation change is demonstrated in a nanocluster Zn3O4 by combining a first-principles calculation with a temperature dependent transport model. The predicted hysteretic Coulomb blockade staircase in the current-voltage curve adds another dimension to the rich phenomenon of tunneling electroresistance. The new mechanism also provides a better controlled and repeatable platform to study conformational electroresistance.