Engineering Nonvolatile Polarization in 2D α-In<sub>2</sub>Se<sub>3</sub>/α-Ga<sub>2</sub>Se<sub>3</sub> Ferroelectric Junctions

The advent of two-dimensional (2D) ferroelectrics offers a new paradigm for device miniaturization and multifunctionality. Recently, 2D α-In<sub>2</sub>Se<sub>3</sub> and related III–VI compound ferroelectrics manifest room-temperature ferroelectricity and exhibit reversible...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Peipei Li, Delin Kong, Jin Yang, Shuyu Cui, Qi Chen, Yue Liu, Ziheng He, Feng Liu, Yingying Xu, Huiyun Wei, Xinhe Zheng, Mingzeng Peng
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-01-01
Series:Nanomaterials
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/15/3/163
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850199857644437504
author Peipei Li
Delin Kong
Jin Yang
Shuyu Cui
Qi Chen
Yue Liu
Ziheng He
Feng Liu
Yingying Xu
Huiyun Wei
Xinhe Zheng
Mingzeng Peng
author_facet Peipei Li
Delin Kong
Jin Yang
Shuyu Cui
Qi Chen
Yue Liu
Ziheng He
Feng Liu
Yingying Xu
Huiyun Wei
Xinhe Zheng
Mingzeng Peng
author_sort Peipei Li
collection DOAJ
description The advent of two-dimensional (2D) ferroelectrics offers a new paradigm for device miniaturization and multifunctionality. Recently, 2D α-In<sub>2</sub>Se<sub>3</sub> and related III–VI compound ferroelectrics manifest room-temperature ferroelectricity and exhibit reversible spontaneous polarization even at the monolayer limit. Here, we employ first-principles calculations to investigate group-III selenide van der Waals (vdW) heterojunctions built up by 2D α-In<sub>2</sub>Se<sub>3</sub> and α-Ga<sub>2</sub>Se<sub>3</sub> ferroelectric (FE) semiconductors, including structural stability, electrostatic potential, interfacial charge transfer, and electronic band structures. When the FE polarization directions of α-In<sub>2</sub>Se<sub>3</sub> and α-Ga<sub>2</sub>Se<sub>3</sub> are parallel, both the α-In<sub>2</sub>Se<sub>3</sub>/α-Ga<sub>2</sub>Se<sub>3</sub> P↑↑ (UU) and α-In<sub>2</sub>Se<sub>3</sub>/α-Ga<sub>2</sub>Se<sub>3</sub> P↓↓ (NN) configurations possess strong built-in electric fields and hence induce electron–hole separation, resulting in carrier depletion at the α-In<sub>2</sub>Se<sub>3</sub>/α-Ga<sub>2</sub>Se<sub>3</sub> heterointerfaces. Conversely, when they are antiparallel, the α-In<sub>2</sub>Se<sub>3</sub>/α-Ga<sub>2</sub>Se<sub>3</sub> P↓↑ (NU) and α-In<sub>2</sub>Se<sub>3</sub>/α-Ga<sub>2</sub>Se<sub>3</sub> P↑↓ (UN) configurations demonstrate the switchable electron and hole accumulation at the 2D ferroelectric interfaces, respectively. The nonvolatile characteristic of ferroelectric polarization presents an innovative approach to achieving tunable n-type and p-type conductive channels for ferroelectric field-effect transistors (FeFETs). In addition, in-plane biaxial strain modulation has successfully modulated the band alignments of the α-In<sub>2</sub>Se<sub>3</sub>/α-Ga<sub>2</sub>Se<sub>3</sub> ferroelectric heterostructures, inducing a type III–II–III transition in UU and NN, and a type I–II–I transition in UN and NU, respectively. Our findings highlight the great potential of 2D group-III selenides and ferroelectric vdW heterostructures to harness nonvolatile spontaneous polarization for next-generation electronics, nonvolatile optoelectronic memories, sensors, and neuromorphic computing.
format Article
id doaj-art-e5e7e3ea48714f13ab2d29ee5e269757
institution OA Journals
issn 2079-4991
language English
publishDate 2025-01-01
publisher MDPI AG
record_format Article
series Nanomaterials
spelling doaj-art-e5e7e3ea48714f13ab2d29ee5e2697572025-08-20T02:12:31ZengMDPI AGNanomaterials2079-49912025-01-0115316310.3390/nano15030163Engineering Nonvolatile Polarization in 2D α-In<sub>2</sub>Se<sub>3</sub>/α-Ga<sub>2</sub>Se<sub>3</sub> Ferroelectric JunctionsPeipei Li0Delin Kong1Jin Yang2Shuyu Cui3Qi Chen4Yue Liu5Ziheng He6Feng Liu7Yingying Xu8Huiyun Wei9Xinhe Zheng10Mingzeng Peng11Beijing Key Laboratory for Magneto-Photoelectrical Composite and Interface Science, School of Mathematics and Physics, University of Science and Technology Beijing, No. 30, Xueyuan Road, Beijing 100083, ChinaBeijing Key Laboratory for Magneto-Photoelectrical Composite and Interface Science, School of Mathematics and Physics, University of Science and Technology Beijing, No. 30, Xueyuan Road, Beijing 100083, ChinaBeijing Key Laboratory for Magneto-Photoelectrical Composite and Interface Science, School of Mathematics and Physics, University of Science and Technology Beijing, No. 30, Xueyuan Road, Beijing 100083, ChinaBeijing Key Laboratory for Magneto-Photoelectrical Composite and Interface Science, School of Mathematics and Physics, University of Science and Technology Beijing, No. 30, Xueyuan Road, Beijing 100083, ChinaBeijing Key Laboratory for Magneto-Photoelectrical Composite and Interface Science, School of Mathematics and Physics, University of Science and Technology Beijing, No. 30, Xueyuan Road, Beijing 100083, ChinaBeijing Key Laboratory for Magneto-Photoelectrical Composite and Interface Science, School of Mathematics and Physics, University of Science and Technology Beijing, No. 30, Xueyuan Road, Beijing 100083, ChinaBeijing Key Laboratory for Magneto-Photoelectrical Composite and Interface Science, School of Mathematics and Physics, University of Science and Technology Beijing, No. 30, Xueyuan Road, Beijing 100083, ChinaBeijing Key Laboratory for Magneto-Photoelectrical Composite and Interface Science, School of Mathematics and Physics, University of Science and Technology Beijing, No. 30, Xueyuan Road, Beijing 100083, ChinaBeijing Key Laboratory for Magneto-Photoelectrical Composite and Interface Science, School of Mathematics and Physics, University of Science and Technology Beijing, No. 30, Xueyuan Road, Beijing 100083, ChinaBeijing Key Laboratory for Magneto-Photoelectrical Composite and Interface Science, School of Mathematics and Physics, University of Science and Technology Beijing, No. 30, Xueyuan Road, Beijing 100083, ChinaBeijing Key Laboratory for Magneto-Photoelectrical Composite and Interface Science, School of Mathematics and Physics, University of Science and Technology Beijing, No. 30, Xueyuan Road, Beijing 100083, ChinaBeijing Key Laboratory for Magneto-Photoelectrical Composite and Interface Science, School of Mathematics and Physics, University of Science and Technology Beijing, No. 30, Xueyuan Road, Beijing 100083, ChinaThe advent of two-dimensional (2D) ferroelectrics offers a new paradigm for device miniaturization and multifunctionality. Recently, 2D α-In<sub>2</sub>Se<sub>3</sub> and related III–VI compound ferroelectrics manifest room-temperature ferroelectricity and exhibit reversible spontaneous polarization even at the monolayer limit. Here, we employ first-principles calculations to investigate group-III selenide van der Waals (vdW) heterojunctions built up by 2D α-In<sub>2</sub>Se<sub>3</sub> and α-Ga<sub>2</sub>Se<sub>3</sub> ferroelectric (FE) semiconductors, including structural stability, electrostatic potential, interfacial charge transfer, and electronic band structures. When the FE polarization directions of α-In<sub>2</sub>Se<sub>3</sub> and α-Ga<sub>2</sub>Se<sub>3</sub> are parallel, both the α-In<sub>2</sub>Se<sub>3</sub>/α-Ga<sub>2</sub>Se<sub>3</sub> P↑↑ (UU) and α-In<sub>2</sub>Se<sub>3</sub>/α-Ga<sub>2</sub>Se<sub>3</sub> P↓↓ (NN) configurations possess strong built-in electric fields and hence induce electron–hole separation, resulting in carrier depletion at the α-In<sub>2</sub>Se<sub>3</sub>/α-Ga<sub>2</sub>Se<sub>3</sub> heterointerfaces. Conversely, when they are antiparallel, the α-In<sub>2</sub>Se<sub>3</sub>/α-Ga<sub>2</sub>Se<sub>3</sub> P↓↑ (NU) and α-In<sub>2</sub>Se<sub>3</sub>/α-Ga<sub>2</sub>Se<sub>3</sub> P↑↓ (UN) configurations demonstrate the switchable electron and hole accumulation at the 2D ferroelectric interfaces, respectively. The nonvolatile characteristic of ferroelectric polarization presents an innovative approach to achieving tunable n-type and p-type conductive channels for ferroelectric field-effect transistors (FeFETs). In addition, in-plane biaxial strain modulation has successfully modulated the band alignments of the α-In<sub>2</sub>Se<sub>3</sub>/α-Ga<sub>2</sub>Se<sub>3</sub> ferroelectric heterostructures, inducing a type III–II–III transition in UU and NN, and a type I–II–I transition in UN and NU, respectively. Our findings highlight the great potential of 2D group-III selenides and ferroelectric vdW heterostructures to harness nonvolatile spontaneous polarization for next-generation electronics, nonvolatile optoelectronic memories, sensors, and neuromorphic computing.https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/15/3/163group-III selenides2D ferroelectricspolarization engineeringband alignmentsstrain modulation
spellingShingle Peipei Li
Delin Kong
Jin Yang
Shuyu Cui
Qi Chen
Yue Liu
Ziheng He
Feng Liu
Yingying Xu
Huiyun Wei
Xinhe Zheng
Mingzeng Peng
Engineering Nonvolatile Polarization in 2D α-In<sub>2</sub>Se<sub>3</sub>/α-Ga<sub>2</sub>Se<sub>3</sub> Ferroelectric Junctions
Nanomaterials
group-III selenides
2D ferroelectrics
polarization engineering
band alignments
strain modulation
title Engineering Nonvolatile Polarization in 2D α-In<sub>2</sub>Se<sub>3</sub>/α-Ga<sub>2</sub>Se<sub>3</sub> Ferroelectric Junctions
title_full Engineering Nonvolatile Polarization in 2D α-In<sub>2</sub>Se<sub>3</sub>/α-Ga<sub>2</sub>Se<sub>3</sub> Ferroelectric Junctions
title_fullStr Engineering Nonvolatile Polarization in 2D α-In<sub>2</sub>Se<sub>3</sub>/α-Ga<sub>2</sub>Se<sub>3</sub> Ferroelectric Junctions
title_full_unstemmed Engineering Nonvolatile Polarization in 2D α-In<sub>2</sub>Se<sub>3</sub>/α-Ga<sub>2</sub>Se<sub>3</sub> Ferroelectric Junctions
title_short Engineering Nonvolatile Polarization in 2D α-In<sub>2</sub>Se<sub>3</sub>/α-Ga<sub>2</sub>Se<sub>3</sub> Ferroelectric Junctions
title_sort engineering nonvolatile polarization in 2d α in sub 2 sub se sub 3 sub α ga sub 2 sub se sub 3 sub ferroelectric junctions
topic group-III selenides
2D ferroelectrics
polarization engineering
band alignments
strain modulation
url https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/15/3/163
work_keys_str_mv AT peipeili engineeringnonvolatilepolarizationin2dainsub2subsesub3subagasub2subsesub3subferroelectricjunctions
AT delinkong engineeringnonvolatilepolarizationin2dainsub2subsesub3subagasub2subsesub3subferroelectricjunctions
AT jinyang engineeringnonvolatilepolarizationin2dainsub2subsesub3subagasub2subsesub3subferroelectricjunctions
AT shuyucui engineeringnonvolatilepolarizationin2dainsub2subsesub3subagasub2subsesub3subferroelectricjunctions
AT qichen engineeringnonvolatilepolarizationin2dainsub2subsesub3subagasub2subsesub3subferroelectricjunctions
AT yueliu engineeringnonvolatilepolarizationin2dainsub2subsesub3subagasub2subsesub3subferroelectricjunctions
AT zihenghe engineeringnonvolatilepolarizationin2dainsub2subsesub3subagasub2subsesub3subferroelectricjunctions
AT fengliu engineeringnonvolatilepolarizationin2dainsub2subsesub3subagasub2subsesub3subferroelectricjunctions
AT yingyingxu engineeringnonvolatilepolarizationin2dainsub2subsesub3subagasub2subsesub3subferroelectricjunctions
AT huiyunwei engineeringnonvolatilepolarizationin2dainsub2subsesub3subagasub2subsesub3subferroelectricjunctions
AT xinhezheng engineeringnonvolatilepolarizationin2dainsub2subsesub3subagasub2subsesub3subferroelectricjunctions
AT mingzengpeng engineeringnonvolatilepolarizationin2dainsub2subsesub3subagasub2subsesub3subferroelectricjunctions