Domain-dependent strain and stacking in two-dimensional van der Waals ferroelectrics

Chuqiao Shi, Nannan Mao, Kena Zhang, Tianyi Zhang, Ming-Hui Chiu, Kenna Ashen, Bo Wang, Xiuyu Tang, Galio Guo, Shiming Lei, Longqing Chen, Ye Cao, Xiaofeng Qian, Jing Kong and Yimo Han ()
Additional contact information
Chuqiao Shi: Rice University
Nannan Mao: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Kena Zhang: University of Texas at Arlington
Tianyi Zhang: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Ming-Hui Chiu: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Kenna Ashen: Texas A&M University
Bo Wang: The Pennsylvania State University
Xiuyu Tang: Texas A&M University
Galio Guo: Rice University
Shiming Lei: Rice University
Longqing Chen: The Pennsylvania State University
Ye Cao: University of Texas at Arlington
Xiaofeng Qian: Texas A&M University
Jing Kong: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Yimo Han: Rice University

Nature Communications, 2023, vol. 14, issue 1, 1-10

Abstract: Abstract Van der Waals (vdW) ferroelectrics have attracted significant attention for their potential in next-generation nano-electronics. Two-dimensional (2D) group-IV monochalcogenides have emerged as a promising candidate due to their strong room temperature in-plane polarization down to a monolayer limit. However, their polarization is strongly coupled with the lattice strain and stacking orders, which impact their electronic properties. Here, we utilize four-dimensional scanning transmission electron microscopy (4D-STEM) to simultaneously probe the in-plane strain and out-of-plane stacking in vdW SnSe. Specifically, we observe large lattice strain up to 4% with a gradient across ~50 nm to compensate lattice mismatch at domain walls, mitigating defects initiation. Additionally, we discover the unusual ferroelectric-to-antiferroelectric domain walls stabilized by vdW force and may lead to anisotropic nonlinear optical responses. Our findings provide a comprehensive understanding of in-plane and out-of-plane structures affecting domain properties in vdW SnSe, laying the foundation for domain wall engineering in vdW ferroelectrics.

Date: 2023
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-42947-3

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