Two-dimensional ferroelasticity in van der Waals β’-In2Se3

Chao Xu, Jianfeng Mao, Xuyun Guo, Shanru Yan, Yancong Chen, Tsz Wing Lo, Changsheng Chen, Dangyuan Lei, Xin Luo, Jianhua Hao, Changxi Zheng and Ye Zhu ()
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Chao Xu: Research Institute for Smart Energy, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Jianfeng Mao: Research Institute for Smart Energy, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Xuyun Guo: Research Institute for Smart Energy, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Shanru Yan: Research Institute for Smart Energy, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Yancong Chen: State Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Materials and Technologies, Centre for Physical Mechanics and Biophysics, School of Physics, Sun Yat-sen University
Tsz Wing Lo: Research Institute for Smart Energy, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Changsheng Chen: Research Institute for Smart Energy, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Dangyuan Lei: City University of Hong Kong
Xin Luo: State Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Materials and Technologies, Centre for Physical Mechanics and Biophysics, School of Physics, Sun Yat-sen University
Jianhua Hao: Research Institute for Smart Energy, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Changxi Zheng: School of Science, Westlake University
Ye Zhu: Research Institute for Smart Energy, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Nature Communications, 2021, vol. 12, issue 1, 1-9

Abstract: Abstract Two-dimensional (2D) materials exhibit remarkable mechanical properties, enabling their applications as flexible and stretchable ultrathin devices. As the origin of several extraordinary mechanical behaviors, ferroelasticity has also been predicted theoretically in 2D materials, but so far lacks experimental validation and investigation. Here, we present the experimental demonstration of 2D ferroelasticity in both exfoliated and chemical-vapor-deposited β’-In2Se3 down to few-layer thickness. We identify quantitatively 2D spontaneous strain originating from in-plane antiferroelectric distortion, using both atomic-resolution electron microscopy and in situ X-ray diffraction. The symmetry-equivalent strain orientations give rise to three domain variants separated by 60° and 120° domain walls (DWs). Mechanical switching between these ferroelastic domains is achieved under ≤0.5% external strain, demonstrating the feasibility to tailor the antiferroelectric polar structure as well as DW patterns through mechanical stimuli. The detailed domain switching mechanism through both DW propagation and domain nucleation is unraveled, and the effects of 3D stacking on such 2D ferroelasticity are also discussed. The observed 2D ferroelasticity here should be widely available in 2D materials with anisotropic lattice distortion, including the 1T’ transition metal dichalcogenides with Peierls distortion and 2D ferroelectrics such as the SnTe family, rendering tantalizing potential to tune 2D functionalities through strain or DW engineering.

Date: 2021
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-23882-7

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