Sliding induced multiple polarization states in two-dimensional ferroelectrics
Peng Meng, Yaze Wu, Renji Bian, Er Pan, Biao Dong, Xiaoxu Zhao, Jiangang Chen, Lishu Wu, Yuqi Sun, Qundong Fu, Qing Liu, Dong Shi, Qi Zhang, Yong‐Wei Zhang, Zheng Liu, Fucai Liu
Abstract
Abstract When the atomic layers in a non-centrosymmetric van der Waals structure slide against each other, the interfacial charge transfer results in a reversal of the structure’s spontaneous polarization. This phenomenon is known as sliding ferroelectricity and it is markedly different from conventional ferroelectric switching mechanisms relying on ion displacement. Here, we present layer dependence as a new dimension to control sliding ferroelectricity. By fabricating 3 R MoS 2 of various thicknesses into dual-gate field-effect transistors, we obtain anomalous intermediate polarization states in multilayer (more than bilayer) 3 R MoS 2 . Using results from ab initio density functional theory calculations, we propose a generalized model to describe the ferroelectric switching process in multilayer 3 R MoS 2 and to explain the formation of these intermediate polarization states. This work reveals the critical roles layer number and interlayer dipole coupling play in sliding ferroelectricity and presents a new strategy for the design of novel sliding ferroelectric devices.