Electrically driven long-range solid-state amorphization in ferroic In2Se3

Gaurav Modi, Shubham K. Parate, Choah Kwon, Andrew C. Meng, Utkarsh Khandelwal, Anudeep Tullibilli, James Horwath, Peter K. Davies, Eric A. Stach, Ju Li, Pavan Nukala () and Ritesh Agarwal ()
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Gaurav Modi: University of Pennsylvania
Shubham K. Parate: Indian Institute of Science
Choah Kwon: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Andrew C. Meng: University of Pennsylvania
Utkarsh Khandelwal: University of Pennsylvania
Anudeep Tullibilli: Indian Institute of Science
James Horwath: University of Pennsylvania
Peter K. Davies: University of Pennsylvania
Eric A. Stach: University of Pennsylvania
Ju Li: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Pavan Nukala: Indian Institute of Science
Ritesh Agarwal: University of Pennsylvania

Nature, 2024, vol. 635, issue 8040, 847-853

Abstract: Abstract Electrically induced amorphization is uncommon and has so far been realized by pulsed electrical current in only a few material systems, which are mostly based on the melt–quench process1. However, if the melting step can be avoided and solid-state amorphization can be realized electrically, it opens up the possibility for low-power device applications2–5. Here we report an energy-efficient, unconventional long-range solid-state amorphization in a new ferroic β″-phase of indium selenide nanowires through the application of a direct-current bias rather than a pulsed electrical stimulus. The complex interplay of the applied electric field perpendicular to the polarization, current flow parallel to the van der Waals layer and piezoelectric stress results in the formation of interlayer sliding defects and coupled disorder induced by in-plane polarization rotation in this layered material. On reaching a critical limit of the electrically induced disorder, the structure becomes frustrated and locally collapses into an amorphous phase6, and this phenomenon is replicated over a much larger microscopic-length scale through acoustic jerks7,8. Our work uncovers previously unknown multimodal coupling mechanisms of the ferroic order in materials to the externally applied electric field, current and internally generated stress, and can be useful to design new materials and devices for low-power electronic and photonic applications.

Date: 2024
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DOI: 10.1038/s41586-024-08156-8

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