Nanoscale Ferroelectric Programming of van der Waals Heterostructures.

Yang, Dengyu; Cao, Qingrui; Akyuz, Erin; Hayden, John; Nordlander, Josh; Mercer, Ian; Yu, Muqing; Ramachandran, Ranjani et al. · Nano Lett · 2024

basic_science · Level V

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Abstract

We demonstrate an approach to creating nanoscale potentials in van der Waals layers integrated with a buried programmable ferroelectric layer. Using ultra-low-voltage electron beam lithography (ULV-EBL), we can program the ferroelectric polarization in Al<sub>1-<i>x</i></sub>B<sub><i>x</i></sub>N (AlBN) thin films, generating structures with sizes as small as 35 nm. We demonstrate the ferroelectric field effect with a graphene/vdW stack on AlBN by creating a p-n junction. This resist-free, high-resolution, contactless patterning method offers a new pathway to integrate ferroelectric films with a wide range of two-dimensional layers including transition-metal dichalcogenides (TMD), enabling arbitrary programming and top-down creation of multifunctional devices.