[Report] Discovery of robust in-plane ferroelectricity in atomic-thick SnTe
Stable ferroelectricity with high transition temperature in nanostructures is needed for miniaturizing ferroelectric devices. Here, we report the discovery of the stable in-plane spontaneous polarization in atomic-thick tin telluride (SnTe), down to a 1–unit cell (UC) limit. The ferroelectric transition temperature Tc of 1-UC SnTe film is greatly enhanced from the bulk value of 98 kelvin and reaches as high as 270 kelvin. Moreover, 2- to 4-UC SnTe films show robust ferroelectricity at room temperature. The interplay between semiconducting properties and ferroelectricity in this two-dimensional material may enable a wide range of applications in nonvolatile high-density memories, nanosensors, and electronics. Authors: Kai Chang, Junwei Liu, Haicheng Lin, Na Wang, Kun Zhao, Anmin Zhang, Feng Jin, Yong Zhong, Xiaopeng Hu, Wenhui Duan, Qingming Zhang, Liang Fu, Qi-Kun Xue, Xi Chen, Shuai-Hua Ji