  We report on switching among three charge-density-wave phases - commensurate,
nearly commensurate, incommensurate - and the high-temperature normal metallic
phase in thin-film 1T-TaS2 devices induced by application of an in-plane
electric field. The electric switching among all phases has been achieved over
a wide temperature range, from 77 K to 400 K. The low-frequency electronic
noise spectroscopy has been used as an effective tool for monitoring the
transitions, particularly the switching from the incommensurate
charge-density-wave phase to the normal metal phase. The noise spectral density
exhibits sharp increases at the phase transition points, which correspond to
the step-like changes in resistivity. Assignment of the phases is consistent
with low-field resistivity measurements over the temperature range from 77 K to
600 K. Analysis of the experimental data and calculations of heat dissipation
suggest that Joule heating plays a dominant role in the electric-field induced
transitions in the tested 1T-TaS2 devices on Si/SiO2 substrates. The
possibility of electrical switching among four different phases of 1T-TaS2 is a
promising step toward nanoscale device applications. The results also
demonstrate the potential of noise spectroscopy for investigating and
identifying phase transitions in materials.
