Ferroelectric switching of a two-dimensional metal

Zaiyao Fei, Wenjin Zhao, Tauno A. Palomaki, Bosong Sun, Moira K. Miller, Zhiying Zhao, Jiaqiang Yan, Xiaodong Xu and David H. Cobden ()
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Zaiyao Fei: University of Washington
Wenjin Zhao: University of Washington
Tauno A. Palomaki: University of Washington
Bosong Sun: University of Washington
Moira K. Miller: University of Washington
Zhiying Zhao: Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Jiaqiang Yan: Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Xiaodong Xu: University of Washington
David H. Cobden: University of Washington

Nature, 2018, vol. 560, issue 7718, 336-339

Abstract: Abstract A ferroelectric is a material with a polar structure whose polarity can be reversed (switched) by applying an electric field1,2. In metals, itinerant electrons screen electrostatic forces between ions, which explains in part why polar metals are very rare3–7. Screening also excludes external electric fields, apparently ruling out the possibility of ferroelectric switching. However, in principle, a thin enough polar metal could be sufficiently penetrated by an electric field to have its polarity switched. Here we show that the topological semimetal WTe2 provides an embodiment of this principle. Although monolayer WTe2 is centro-symmetric and thus non-polar, the stacked bulk structure is polar. We find that two- or three-layer WTe2 exhibits spontaneous out-of-plane electric polarization that can be switched using gate electrodes. We directly detect and quantify the polarization using graphene as an electric-field sensor8. Moreover, the polarization states can be differentiated by conductivity and the carrier density can be varied to modify the properties. The temperature at which polarization vanishes is above 350 kelvin, and even when WTe2 is sandwiched between graphene layers it retains its switching capability at room temperature, demonstrating a robustness suitable for applications in combination with other two-dimensional materials9–12.

Date: 2018
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DOI: 10.1038/s41586-018-0336-3

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