Proximity ferroelectricity in wurtzite heterostructures

Skidmore, Chloe H.; Spurling, R. Jackson; Hayden, John; Baksa, Steven M.; Behrendt, Drew; Goodling, Devin; Nordlander, Joshua L.; Suceava, Albert; Casamento, Joseph; Akkopru-Akgun, Betul; Calderon, Sebastian; Dabo, Ismaila; Gopalan, Venkatraman; Kelley, Kyle P.; Rappe, Andrew M.; Trolier-McKinstry, Susan; Dickey, Elizabeth C.; Maria, Jon-Paul

doi:10.1038/s41586-024-08295-y

Proximity ferroelectricity in wurtzite heterostructures

Journal Article · Wed Jan 08 00:00:00 EST 2025 · Nature (London)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-024-08295-y· OSTI ID:2570083

Skidmore, Chloe H. ^[1]; Spurling, R. Jackson ^[1]; Hayden, John ^[1]; ^[1]; Behrendt, Drew ^[2]; Goodling, Devin ^[1]; Nordlander, Joshua L. ^[1]; Suceava, Albert ^[1]; Casamento, Joseph ^[1]; ^[1]; ^[3]; Dabo, Ismaila ^[3]; ^[1]; ^[4]; ^[2]; Trolier-McKinstry, Susan ^[1]; ^[3]; ^[1]

Pennsylvania State Univ., University Park, PA (United States)
Univ. of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA (United States)
Carnegie Mellon Univ., Pittsburgh, PA (United States)
Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

Proximity ferroelectricity is an interface-associated phenomenon in electric-field-driven polarization reversal in a non-ferroelectric polar material induced by one or more adjacent ferroelectric materials. Here, in this paper, we report proximity ferroelectricity in wurtzite ferroelectric heterostructures. In the present case, the non-ferroelectric layers are AlN and ZnO, whereas the ferroelectric layers are Al_1−xB_xN, Al_1−xSc_xN and Zn_1−xMg_xO. The layered structures include nitride–nitride, oxide–oxide and nitride–oxide stacks that feature two-layer (asymmetric) and three-layer (symmetric) configurations. Ferroelectric switching in both layers is validated by multimodal characterization methods, including polarization hysteresis, anisotropic chemical etching, second harmonic generation, piezo response force microscopy, electromechanical testing and atomic resolution polarization orientation imaging in real space by scanning transmission electron microscopy. We present a physical switching model in which antipolar nuclei originate in the ferroelectric layer and propagate towards the internal non-ferroelectric interface. The domain wall leading edge produces elastic and electric fields that extend beyond the interface at close proximity, reducing the switching barrier in the non-ferroelectric layer, and allowing complete domain propagation without breakdown. Density functional theory calculations of polymorph energies, reversal barriers and domain wall energies support this model. Proximity ferroelectricity enables polarization reversal in wurtzites without the chemical or structural disorder that accompanies elemental substitution, opening new questions and opportunities regarding interface-based ferroelectricity.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Pennsylvania State Univ., University Park, PA (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: National Science Foundation (NSF); US Army Research Office (ARO); USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES). Scientific User Facilities (SUF)

Grant/Contract Number:: AC05-00OR22725; SC0021118

OSTI ID:: 2570083

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 2586826

Report Number(s):: DOE-3DFEM2-21118

Journal Information:: Nature (London), Journal Name: Nature (London) Journal Issue: 8046 Vol. 637; ISSN 1476-4687; ISSN 0028-0836

Publisher:: Nature Publishing GroupCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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