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Ferroelectric switching of a two-dimensional metal

Author

Listed:
  • Zaiyao Fei

    (University of Washington)

  • Wenjin Zhao

    (University of Washington)

  • Tauno A. Palomaki

    (University of Washington)

  • Bosong Sun

    (University of Washington)

  • Moira K. Miller

    (University of Washington)

  • Zhiying Zhao

    (Oak Ridge National Laboratory
    University of Tennessee)

  • Jiaqiang Yan

    (Oak Ridge National Laboratory)

  • Xiaodong Xu

    (University of Washington
    University of Washington)

  • David H. Cobden

    (University of Washington)

Abstract

A ferroelectric is a material with a polar structure whose polarity can be reversed (switched) by applying an electric field1,2. In metals, itinerant electrons screen electrostatic forces between ions, which explains in part why polar metals are very rare3–7. Screening also excludes external electric fields, apparently ruling out the possibility of ferroelectric switching. However, in principle, a thin enough polar metal could be sufficiently penetrated by an electric field to have its polarity switched. Here we show that the topological semimetal WTe2 provides an embodiment of this principle. Although monolayer WTe2 is centro-symmetric and thus non-polar, the stacked bulk structure is polar. We find that two- or three-layer WTe2 exhibits spontaneous out-of-plane electric polarization that can be switched using gate electrodes. We directly detect and quantify the polarization using graphene as an electric-field sensor8. Moreover, the polarization states can be differentiated by conductivity and the carrier density can be varied to modify the properties. The temperature at which polarization vanishes is above 350 kelvin, and even when WTe2 is sandwiched between graphene layers it retains its switching capability at room temperature, demonstrating a robustness suitable for applications in combination with other two-dimensional materials9–12.

Suggested Citation

  • Zaiyao Fei & Wenjin Zhao & Tauno A. Palomaki & Bosong Sun & Moira K. Miller & Zhiying Zhao & Jiaqiang Yan & Xiaodong Xu & David H. Cobden, 2018. "Ferroelectric switching of a two-dimensional metal," Nature, Nature, vol. 560(7718), pages 336-339, August.
  • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:560:y:2018:i:7718:d:10.1038_s41586-018-0336-3
    DOI: 10.1038/s41586-018-0336-3
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Heng Liu & Qinglin Lai & Jun Fu & Shijie Zhang & Zhaoming Fu & Hualing Zeng, 2024. "Reversible flexoelectric domain engineering at the nanoscale in van der Waals ferroelectrics," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-9, December.
    2. Xiaodong Yao & Yinxin Bai & Cheng Jin & Xinyu Zhang & Qunfei Zheng & Zedong Xu & Lang Chen & Shanmin Wang & Ying Liu & Junling Wang & Jinlong Zhu, 2023. "Anomalous polarization enhancement in a van der Waals ferroelectric material under pressure," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-6, December.
    3. Sahar Pakdel & Asbjørn Rasmussen & Alireza Taghizadeh & Mads Kruse & Thomas Olsen & Kristian S. Thygesen, 2024. "High-throughput computational stacking reveals emergent properties in natural van der Waals bilayers," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-10, December.
    4. Tao Li & Yongyi Wu & Guoliang Yu & Shengxian Li & Yifeng Ren & Yadong Liu & Jiarui Liu & Hao Feng & Yu Deng & Mingxing Chen & Zhenyu Zhang & Tai Min, 2024. "Realization of sextuple polarization states and interstate switching in antiferroelectric CuInP2S6," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-9, December.
    5. James L. Hart & Lopa Bhatt & Yanbing Zhu & Myung-Geun Han & Elisabeth Bianco & Shunran Li & David J. Hynek & John A. Schneeloch & Yu Tao & Despina Louca & Peijun Guo & Yimei Zhu & Felipe Jornada & Eva, 2023. "Emergent layer stacking arrangements in c-axis confined MoTe2," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-9, December.
    6. Teng Ma & Hao Chen & Kunihiro Yananose & Xin Zhou & Lin Wang & Runlai Li & Ziyu Zhu & Zhenyue Wu & Qing-Hua Xu & Jaejun Yu & Cheng Wei Qiu & Alessandro Stroppa & Kian Ping Loh, 2022. "Growth of bilayer MoTe2 single crystals with strong non-linear Hall effect," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-10, December.
    7. Meizhuang Liu & Jian Gou & Zizhao Liu & Zuxin Chen & Yuliang Ye & Jing Xu & Xiaozhi Xu & Dingyong Zhong & Goki Eda & Andrew T. S. Wee, 2024. "Phase-selective in-plane heteroepitaxial growth of H-phase CrSe2," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-8, December.
    8. Yue Niu & Lei Li & Zhiying Qi & Hein Htet Aung & Xinyi Han & Reshef Tenne & Yugui Yao & Alla Zak & Yao Guo, 2023. "0D van der Waals interfacial ferroelectricity," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-9, December.
    9. Ming Lv & Jiulong Wang & Ming Tian & Neng Wan & Wenyi Tong & Chungang Duan & Jiamin Xue, 2024. "Multiresistance states in ferro- and antiferroelectric trilayer boron nitride," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-7, December.
    10. Wenhui Li & Xuanlin Zhang & Jia Yang & Song Zhou & Chuangye Song & Peng Cheng & Yi-Qi Zhang & Baojie Feng & Zhenxing Wang & Yunhao Lu & Kehui Wu & Lan Chen, 2023. "Emergence of ferroelectricity in a nonferroelectric monolayer," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-10, December.
    11. Zhenyu Sun & Yueqi Su & Aomiao Zhi & Zhicheng Gao & Xu Han & Kang Wu & Lihong Bao & Yuan Huang & Youguo Shi & Xuedong Bai & Peng Cheng & Lan Chen & Kehui Wu & Xuezeng Tian & Changzheng Wu & Baojie Fen, 2024. "Evidence for multiferroicity in single-layer CuCrSe2," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-7, December.
    12. Yunze Gao & Astrid Weston & Vladimir Enaldiev & Xiao Li & Wendong Wang & James E. Nunn & Isaac Soltero & Eli G. Castanon & Amy Carl & Hugo Latour & Alex Summerfield & Matthew Hamer & James Howarth & N, 2024. "Tunnel junctions based on interfacial two dimensional ferroelectrics," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-7, December.
    13. Jinlei Zhang & Jiayong Zhang & Yaping Qi & Shuainan Gong & Hang Xu & Zhenqi Liu & Ran Zhang & Mohammad A. Sadi & Demid Sychev & Run Zhao & Hongbin Yang & Zhenping Wu & Dapeng Cui & Lin Wang & Chunlan , 2024. "Room-temperature ferroelectric, piezoelectric and resistive switching behaviors of single-element Te nanowires," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-9, December.
    14. Shuai Zhang & Yang Liu & Zhiyuan Sun & Xinzhong Chen & Baichang Li & S. L. Moore & Song Liu & Zhiying Wang & S. E. Rossi & Ran Jing & Jordan Fonseca & Birui Yang & Yinming Shao & Chun-Ying Huang & Tak, 2023. "Visualizing moiré ferroelectricity via plasmons and nano-photocurrent in graphene/twisted-WSe2 structures," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-8, December.
    15. Ruirui Niu & Zhuoxian Li & Xiangyan Han & Zhuangzhuang Qu & Dongdong Ding & Zhiyu Wang & Qianling Liu & Tianyao Liu & Chunrui Han & Kenji Watanabe & Takashi Taniguchi & Menghao Wu & Qi Ren & Xueyun Wa, 2022. "Giant ferroelectric polarization in a bilayer graphene heterostructure," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-8, December.
    16. Fengrui Sui & Min Jin & Yuanyuan Zhang & Ruijuan Qi & Yu-Ning Wu & Rong Huang & Fangyu Yue & Junhao Chu, 2023. "Sliding ferroelectricity in van der Waals layered γ-InSe semiconductor," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-8, December.

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