Discovery of Robust Ferroelectricity in 2D Defective Semiconductor α-Ga2 Se3

Low Temperature Synthesis of 2D p-Type α-In2Te3 with Fast and Broadband Photodetection

2DA 2 III B 3 VI ${\mathrm{A}}_2^{{\mathrm{III}}}{\mathrm{B}}_3^{{\mathrm{VI}}}$ compounds (A = Al, Ga, In, and B = S, Se, and Te) with intrinsic structural defects offer significant opportunities for high-performance and functional devices. However, obtaining 2D atomic-thin nanoplates with non-layered structure on SiO2/Si substrate at low temperatures is rare, which hinders the study of their properties and applications at atomic-thin thickness limits. In this study, the synthesis of ultrathin, non-layered α-In2Te3 nanoplates is demonstrated using a BiOCl-assisted chemical vapor deposition method at a temperature below 350 °C on SiO2/Si substrate. Comprehensive characterization results confirm the high-quality single crystal is the low-temperature cubic phase α-In2Te3 , possessing a noncentrosymmetric defected ZnS structure with good second harmonic generation. Moreover, α-In2Te3 is revealed to be a p-type semiconductor with a direct and narrow bandgap value of 0.76 eV. The field effect transistor exhibits a high mobility of 18 cm2 V-1 s-1, and the photodetector demonstrates stable photoswitching behavior within a broadband photoresponse from 405 to 1064 nm, with a satisfactory response time of τrise = 1 ms. Notably, the α-In2Te3 nanoplates exhibit good stability against ambient environments. Together, these findings establish α-In2Te3 nanoplates as promising candidates for next-generation high-performance photonics and electronics.

Bandgap regulation and doping modification of Ga2-x Cr x Se3 nanosheets

Ga2Se3, an important direct wide bandgap semiconductor with excellent optoelectronic properties, has wide application potential in the fields of photodetectors, photoelectric sensors and solar cells. Herein, we describe the synthesis of Ga2Se3 semiconductor nanoparticles using a high temperature organic liquid phase method. Post-annealing treatment at different temperatures can not only improve the crystallinity of Ga2Se3 nanoparticles, but also regulate its optical band gap ranging from 2.50 to 2.80 eV. We further synthesized Ga2-x Cr x Se3 nanosheets by doping CrCl3·6H2O in the reaction process. By adjusting the Cr doping concentration, Ga2-x Cr x Se3 nanosheets can achieve a continuously tunable band gap in the range of 2.23 eV to 2.42 eV. Both Ga2-x Cr x Se3 nanosheets and Ga2Se3 nanoparticles exhibit excellent and stable photoelectric switching performance. With Cr doping, Ga2-x Cr x Se3 exhibits reduced Nyquist impedance and enhanced electrocatalytic activity, which is attributed to its ultrathin nanosheet morphology and large specific surface area. In addition, the diamagnetic behavior of pure Ga2Se3 changes to ferromagnetism with different Cr doping concentrations, and its magnetization is as high as 18.0 emu g-1 at x = 0.4. These findings demonstrate that Ga2-x Cr x Se3 nanosheets have significant potential in future optoelectronic and magnetoelectric applications.

Van der Waals Ferroelectrics: Theories, Materials, and Device Applications

In recent years, an increasing number of 2D van der Waals (vdW) materials are theory-predicted or laboratory-validated to possess in-plane (IP) and/or out-of-plane (OOP) spontaneous ferroelectric polarization. Due to their dangling-bond-free surfaces, interlayer charge coupling, robust polarization, tunable energy band structures, and compatibility with silicon-based technologies, vdW ferroelectric materials exhibit great promise in ferroelectric memories, neuromorphic computing, nanogenerators, photovoltaic devices, spintronic devices, and so on. Here, the very recent advances in the field of vdW ferroelectrics (FEs) are reviewed. First, theories of ferroelectricity are briefly discussed. Then, a comprehensive summary of the non-stacking vdW ferroelectric materials is provided based on their crystal structures and the emerging sliding ferroelectrics. In addition, their potential applications in various branches/frontier fields are enumerated, with a focus on artificial intelligence. Finally, the challenges and development prospects of vdW ferroelectrics are discussed.

The Case for a Defect Genome Initiative

The Materials Genome Initiative (MGI) has streamlined the materials discovery effort by leveraging generic traits of materials, with focus largely on perfect solids. Defects such as impurities and perturbations, however, drive many attractive functional properties of materials. The rich tapestry of charge, spin, and bonding states hosted by defects are not accessible to elements and perfect crystals, and defects can thus be viewed as another class of "elements" that lie beyond the periodic table. Accordingly, a Defect Genome Initiative (DGI) to accelerate functional defect discovery for energy, quantum information, and other applications is proposed. First, major advances made under the MGI are highlighted, followed by a delineation of pathways for accelerating the discovery and design of functional defects under the DGI. Near-term goals for the DGI are suggested. The construction of open defect platforms and design of data-driven functional defects, along with approaches for fabrication and characterization of defects, are discussed. The associated challenges and opportunities are considered and recent advances towards controlled introduction of functional defects at the atomic scale are reviewed. It is hoped this perspective will spur a community-wide interest in undertaking a DGI effort in recognition of the importance of defects in enabling unique functionalities in materials.

The Integration of Two-Dimensional Materials and Ferroelectrics for Device Applications

In recent years, there has been growing interest in functional devices based on two-dimensional (2D) materials, which possess exotic physical properties. With an ultrathin thickness, the optoelectrical and electrical properties of 2D materials can be effectively tuned by an external field, which has stimulated considerable scientific activities. Ferroelectric fields with a nonvolatile and electrically switchable feature have exhibited enormous potential in controlling the electronic and optoelectronic properties of 2D materials, leading to an extremely fertile area of research. Here, we review the 2D materials and relevant devices integrated with ferroelectricity. This review starts to introduce the background about the concerned themes, namely 2D materials and ferroelectrics, and then presents the fundamental mechanisms, tuning strategies, as well as recent progress of the ferroelectric effect on the optical and electrical properties of 2D materials. Subsequently, the latest developments of 2D material-based electronic and optoelectronic devices integrated with ferroelectricity are summarized. Finally, the future outlook and challenges of this exciting field are suggested.

Extendable piezo/ferroelectricity in nonstoichiometric 2D transition metal dichalcogenides

Engineering piezo/ferroelectricity in two-dimensional materials holds significant implications for advancing the manufacture of state-of-the-art multifunctional materials. The inborn nonstoichiometric propensity of two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides provides a spiffy ready-available solution for breaking inversion centrosymmetry, thereby conducing to circumvent size effect challenges in conventional perovskite oxide ferroelectrics. Here, we show the extendable and ubiquitous piezo/ferroelectricity within nonstoichiometric two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides that are predominantly centrosymmetric during standard stoichiometric cases. The emerged piezo/ferroelectric traits are aroused from the sliding of van der Waals layers and displacement of interlayer metal atoms triggered by the Frankel defects of heterogeneous interlayer native metal atom intercalation. We demonstrate two-dimensional chromium selenides nanogenerator and iron tellurides ferroelectric multilevel memristors as two representative applications. This innovative approach to engineering piezo/ferroelectricity in ultrathin transition metal dichalcogenides may provide a potential avenue to consolidate piezo/ferroelectricity with featured two-dimensional materials to fabricate multifunctional materials and distinguished multiferroic.

Electron transport, ferroelectric, piezoelectric and optical properties of two-dimensional In2Te3: a first-principles study

Two-dimensional (2D) materials have garnered significant interest in the fields of optoelectronics and electronics due to their unique and diverse properties. In this work, the electron transport, ferroelectric, piezoelectric, and optical properties of 2D In2Te3 were systematically investigated using first-principles based on density functional theory. The analysis of the phonon spectrum and elastic modulus of the Born effective criterion indicates that the structure of the novel 2D In2Te3 is dynamically stable. The calculation results show that 2D In2Te3 exhibits a carrier mobility as high as 3680.99 cm2 V-1 s-1 (y direction), a high in-plane polarization of 2.428 × 10-10 C m-1, and an excellent ferroelectric phase transition barrier (52.847 meV) and piezoelectric properties (e11 = 1.52 × 10-10 C m-1). The higher carrier mobility is attributed to the band degeneracy and small carrier effective mass. In addition, biaxial strain is an effective way to modulate the band gap and optical properties of 2D In2Te3. These properties indicate that 2D In2Te3 is a promising candidate material for flexible electronic devices and ferroelectric photovoltaic devices.

Ferroic Phases in Two-Dimensional Materials

Two-dimensional (2D) ferroics, namely ferroelectric, ferromagnetic, and ferroelastic materials, are attracting rising interest due to their fascinating physical properties and promising functional applications. A variety of 2D ferroic phases, as well as 2D multiferroics and the novel 2D ferrovalleytronics/ferrotoroidics, have been recently predicted by theory, even down to the single atomic layers. Meanwhile, some of them have already been experimentally verified. In addition to the intrinsic 2D ferroics, appropriate stacking, doping, and defects can also artificially regulate the ferroic phases of 2D materials. Correspondingly, ferroic ordering in 2D materials exhibits enormous potential for future high density memory devices, energy conversion devices, and sensing devices, among other applications. In this paper, the recent research progresses on 2D ferroic phases are comprehensively reviewed, with emphasis on chemistry and structural origin of the ferroic properties. In addition, the promising applications of the 2D ferroics for information storage, optoelectronics, and sensing are also briefly discussed. Finally, we envisioned a few possible pathways for the future 2D ferroics research and development. This comprehensive overview on the 2D ferroic phases can provide an atlas for this field and facilitate further exploration of the intriguing new materials and physical phenomena, which will generate tremendous impact on future functional materials and devices.

One dimensional ferroelectric nanothreads with axial and radial polarization

Long-range ferroelectric crystalline order usually fades away as the spatial dimension decreases, and hence there are few two-dimensional (2D) ferroelectrics and far fewer one-dimensional (1D) ferroelectrics. Due to the depolarization field, low-dimensional ferroelectrics rarely possess the polarization along the direction of reduced dimensionality. Here, using first-principles density functional theory, we explore the structural evolution of nanoribbons of varying widths constructed by cutting a 2D sheet of ferroelectric α-III2VI3 (III = Al, Ga, In; VI = S, Se, Te). We discover a one-dimensional ferroelectric nanothread (1DFENT) of ultrasmall diameter with both axial and radial polarization, potentially enabling ultra-dense data storage with a 1D domain of just three unit cells being the functional unit. The polarization in 1DFENT of Ga2Se3 exhibits an unusual piezoelectric response: a stretching stress along the axial direction will increase both the axial and radial polarization, referred to as the auxetic piezoelectric effect. Utilizing the intrinsically flat electronic bands, we demonstrate the coexistence of ferroelectricity and ferromagnetism in 1DFENT and a counterintuitive charge-doping-induced metal-to-insulator transition. The 1DFENT with both axial and radial polarization offers a counterexample to the Mermin-Wagner theorem in 1D and suggests a new platform for the design of ultrahigh-density memory and the exploration of exotic states of matter.

Engineering Second-Order Corner States in 2D Multiferroics

The understanding and manipulate of the second-order corner states are central to both fundamental physics and future topotronics applications. Despite the fact that numerous second-order topological insulators (SOTIs) are achieved, the efficient engineering in a given material remains elusive. Here, the emergence of 2D multiferroics SOTIs in SbAs and BP₅ monolayers is theoretically demonstrated, and an efficient and straightforward way for engineering the nontrivial corner states by ferroelasticity and ferroelectricity is remarkably proposed. With ferroelectric polarization of SbAs and BP₅ monolayers, the nontrivial corner states emerge in the mirror symmetric corners and are perpendicular to orientations of the in-plane spontaneous polarization. And remarkably the spatial distribution of the corner states can be effectively tuned by a ferroelastic switching. At the intermediate states of both ferroelectric and ferroelastic switchings, the corner states disappear. These finding not only combines exotic SOTIs with multiferroics but also pave the way for experimental discovery of 2D tunable SOTIs.

Coexistence of Anisotropic Large Magnetoresistance and Ferroelectricity in Two-Dimensional Narrow-Bandgap Bi2O2Te

Characteristics like air-stability and high carrier mobility make non-van-der-Waals layered Bi₂O₂Se a good prospect for planar integrated nanosystems. However, experimental investigation about its analogue Bi₂O₂Te is rather rare due to difficulty in synthesis. Herein, a low-pressure CVD process is proposed that is adjusted to the rigorous growth condition required, with large-scale Bi₂O₂Te ultrathin film obtained. Magneto-transport behavior reveals a very large anisotropic nonsaturating low-temperature magnetoresistance (∼1133% under 9 T magnetic field). Despite the contradiction between high conductivity and ferroelectricity in principle (mobile electrons screen electrostatic forces between ions), the high-conductive Bi₂O₂Te film here is revealed experimentally as another intrinsic ferroelectric with the polarization switchable by external electric field (predicted in Nano Lett. 2017, 17, 6309). These results prove that Bi₂O₂Te possesses a very narrow bandgap (∼0.15 eV), high conductivity, large magnetoresistance, and room-temperature ferroelectricity, displaying great potential as a high-performance nanoelectronic two-dimensional semiconductor and, in advanced functional devices, working in the mid-infrared region.

Layered Organic Metal Chalcogenides (OMCs): From Bulk to Two-Dimensional Materials

The modification of inorganic two-dimensional (2D) materials with organic functional motifs is in high demand for the optimization of their properties, but it is still a daunting challenge. Organic metal chalcogenides (OMCs) are a type of newly emerging 2D materials, with metal chalcogenide layers covalently anchored by long-range ordered organic functional motifs, these materials are extremely desirable but impossible to realize by traditional methods. Both the inorganic layer and organic functional motifs of OMCs are highly designable and thus provide this type of 2D materials with enormous variety in terms of their structure and properties. This Minireview aims to review the latest developments in OMCs and their bulk precursors. Firstly, the structure types of the bulk precursors for OMCs are introduced. Second, the synthesis and applications of OMC 2D materials in photoelectricity, catalysis, sensors, and energy transfer are explored. Finally, the challenges and perspectives for future research on OMCs are discussed.