Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 17, 2025
08:00
Chemical Synthesis of Porous Barium Titanate Thin Film and Thermal Stabilization of Ferroelectric Phase by Porosity-Induced Strain
Published on: March 27, 2018
11.2K
Sliding ferroelectricity of multilayer h-BN.
Zijun Li1, Le Fang1,2, Hui Zhang1
1Physics Department, Materials Genome Institute, Shanghai Engineering Research Center for Integrated Circuits and Advanced Display Materials, State Key Laboratory of Advanced Refractories, Institute for Quantum Science and Technology, International Centre of Quantum and Molecular Structures, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, China. hzhang23@shu.edu.cn.
Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics : PCCP
|June 30, 2025
Summary
Interlayer sliding in hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) multilayers creates switchable ferroelectric ordering. Specific stacking strategies can enhance electric dipoles for advanced electronics.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Condensed Matter Physics
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Two-dimensional (2D) ferroelectrics are crucial for next-generation electronics.
- Hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) exhibits out-of-plane ferroelectricity through interlayer sliding.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically investigate stacking-dependent ferroelectric ordering in multilayer h-BN.
- To explore design principles for enhancing ferroelectric properties in h-BN.
Main Methods:
- First principles calculations.
- Modern theory of polarization.
- Symmetry analysis of stacking configurations.
Main Results:
- Trilayer h-BN with interlayer slip shows non-centrosymmetric stacking and switchable dipoles.
- 30 out of 36 distinct trilayer stacking orders exhibit ferroelectricity.
- Strategies like AB stacking and AA' antiparallel stacking enhance dipole moments in thicker h-BN.
Conclusions:
- Interlayer sliding is a key mechanism for ferroelectricity in h-BN multilayers.
- Stacking sequence critically influences ferroelectric properties.
- Findings provide a foundation for designing novel ultracompact ferroelectric devices.
Related Concept Videos
01:31Ferromagnetism
2.5K
Materials like iron, nickel, and cobalt consist of magnetic domains, within which the magnetic dipoles are arranged parallel to each other. The magnetic dipoles are rigidly aligned in the same direction within a domain by quantum mechanical coupling among the atoms. This coupling is so strong that even thermal agitation at room temperature cannot break it. The result is that each domain has a net dipole moment. However, some materials have weaker coupling, and are ferromagnetic at lower...
2.5K
01:12Fermi Level Dynamics
350
The vacuum level denotes the energy threshold required for an electron to escape from a material surface. It is usually positioned above the conduction band of a semiconductor and acts as a benchmark for comparing electron energies within various materials.
Electron affinity in semiconductors refers to the energy gap between the minimum of its conduction band and the vacuum level and it is a critical parameter in determining how easily a semiconductor can accept additional electrons.
The work...
Electron affinity in semiconductors refers to the energy gap between the minimum of its conduction band and the vacuum level and it is a critical parameter in determining how easily a semiconductor can accept additional electrons.
The work...
350
02:37Metallic Solids
18.9K
Metallic solids such as crystals of copper, aluminum, and iron are formed by metal atoms. The structure of metallic crystals is often described as a uniform distribution of atomic nuclei within a “sea” of delocalized electrons. The atoms within such a metallic solid are held together by a unique force known as metallic bonding that gives rise to many useful and varied bulk properties.
All metallic solids exhibit high thermal and electrical conductivity, metallic luster, and malleability....
All metallic solids exhibit high thermal and electrical conductivity, metallic luster, and malleability....
18.9K
03:24Hybridization of Atomic Orbitals I
49.2K
The mathematical expression known as the wave function, ψ, contains information about each orbital and the wavelike properties of electrons in an isolated atom. When atoms are bound together in a molecule, the wave functions combine to produce new mathematical descriptions that have different shapes. This process of combining the wave functions for atomic orbitals is called hybridization and is mathematically accomplished by the linear combination of atomic orbitals. The new orbitals that...
49.2K
01:27Biasing of Metal-Semiconductor Junctions
339
Biasing metal-semiconductor junctions involves applying a voltage across the junction. Specifically, the metal is connected to a voltage source, while the semiconductor is grounded. This technique is essential for controlling the direction and magnitude of current flow in electronic devices, including diodes, transistors, and photovoltaic cells.
In Schottky junctions, where the semiconductor is n-type, applying a positive voltage to the metal relative to the semiconductor reduces its Fermi...
In Schottky junctions, where the semiconductor is n-type, applying a positive voltage to the metal relative to the semiconductor reduces its Fermi...
339
01:30The Hall Effect
2.7K
Edwin H. Hall, in the year 1879, devised an experiment that could be used to identify the polarity of the predominant charge carriers in a conducting material. From a historical perspective, this experiment was the first to demonstrate that the charge carriers in most metals are negative.
2.7K