Direct evidence of strong local ferroelectric ordering in a thermoelectric semiconductor

Journal Article · Mon Sep 15 00:00:00 EDT 2014 · Applied Physics Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4895936· OSTI ID:22303544

Aggarwal, Leena; Sekhon, Jagmeet S.; Arora, Ashima; Sheet, Goutam ^[1]; Guin, Satya N.; Negi, Devendra S.; Datta, Ranjan; Biswas, Kanishka ^[2]

---

1. Department of Physical Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Mohali (IISER M), Sector 81, S. A. S. Nagar, Manauli PO-140306 (India)
2. New Chemistry Unit and International Centre for Materials Science, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR), Jakkur, Bangalore 560064 (India)

It is thought that the proposed new family of multi-functional materials, namely, the ferroelectric thermoelectrics may exhibit enhanced functionalities due to the coupling of the thermoelectric parameters with ferroelectric polarization in solids. Therefore, the ferroelectric thermoelectrics are expected to be of immense technological and fundamental significance. As a first step towards this direction, it is most important to identify the existing high performance thermoelectric materials exhibiting ferroelectricity. Herein, through the direct measurement of local polarization switching, we show that the recently discovered thermoelectric semiconductor AgSbSe{sub 2} has local ferroelectric ordering. Using piezo-response force microscopy, we demonstrate the existence of nanometer scale ferroelectric domains that can be switched by external electric field. These observations are intriguing as AgSbSe{sub 2} crystalizes in cubic rock-salt structure with centro-symmetric space group (Fm–3m), and therefore, no ferroelectricity is expected. However, from high resolution transmission electron microscopy measurement, we found the evidence of local superstructure formation which, we believe, leads to local distortion of the centro-symmetric arrangement in AgSbSe{sub 2} and gives rise to the observed ferroelectricity. Stereochemically active 5S{sup 2} lone-pair of Sb may also give rise to local structural distortion thereby creating ferroelectricity in AgSbSe{sub 2}.

• OSTI ID: 22303544
• Journal Information: Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 105, Issue 11; Other Information: (c) 2014 AIP Publishing LLC; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0003-6951
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
ANTIMONY COMPOUNDS
COUPLING
CRYSTALS
ELECTRIC FIELDS
FERROELECTRIC MATERIALS
PIEZOELECTRICITY
POLARIZATION
RESOLUTION
SALT DEPOSITS
SELENIUM COMPOUNDS
SEMICONDUCTOR MATERIALS
SILVER COMPOUNDS
SOLIDS
SPACE GROUPS
STEREOCHEMISTRY
SWITCHES
TERNARY ALLOY SYSTEMS
THERMOELECTRIC MATERIALS
TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY