Ultrafast dynamics of ferroelectric polarization of NbOI₂ captured with femtosecond electron diffraction

Two-dimensional ferroelectric materials like NbOI₂ have garnered significant interest, yet their temporal response and synergetic interaction with light remain underexplored. Previous studies on the polarization of oxide ferroelectrics have relied on time-resolved optical second harmonic generation or ultrafast X-ray scattering. Here, we probe the laser-induced polarization dynamics of NbOI₂ nanocrystals using ultrafast transmission electron diffraction and deflectometry. The deflection of the electron pulses is directly sensitive to the changes in the polarization, while the diffraction signal captures the structural evolution. Excited with a UV laser pulse, the polarization of NbOI₂ is initially suppressed for two picoseconds, then it recovers and overshoots, leading to a transiently enhanced polarization persisting for over 200 ps. This recovery coincides with coherent acoustic phonon generation, triggering a piezoresponse in the NbOI₂ nanocrystals. Our results offer a new method for sensing the ferroelectric order parameter on femtosecond time scales.