Sliding induced multiple polarization states in two-dimensional ferroelectrics.
basic_science · Level V
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 36509811.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1038/s41467-022-35339-6 and PMC identifier 9744910.
- Licence recorded as CC BY.
- The licence permits redistribution, so the abstract is shown in full and the full text is available from the publisher.
Abstract
When the atomic layers in a non-centrosymmetric van der Waals structure slide against each other, the interfacial charge transfer results in a reversal of the structure's spontaneous polarization. This phenomenon is known as sliding ferroelectricity and it is markedly different from conventional ferroelectric switching mechanisms relying on ion displacement. Here, we present layer dependence as a new dimension to control sliding ferroelectricity. By fabricating 3 R MoS<sub>2</sub> of various thicknesses into dual-gate field-effect transistors, we obtain anomalous intermediate polarization states in multilayer (more than bilayer) 3 R MoS<sub>2</sub>. Using results from ab initio density functional theory calculations, we propose a generalized model to describe the ferroelectric switching process in multilayer 3 R MoS<sub>2</sub> and to explain the formation of these intermediate polarization states. This work reveals the critical roles layer number and interlayer dipole coupling play in sliding ferroelectricity and presents a new strategy for the design of novel sliding ferroelectric devices.