Mixed-stacking few-layer graphene as an elemental weak ferroelectric material

Aitor García-Ruiz Fuentes, Vladimir Enaldiev, Andrew Mcellistrim, Vladimir Fal'ko

Research output: Contribution to journalLetterpeer-review

Abstract

Ferroelectricity1 - a spontaneous formation of electric polarisation - is a solid state phenomenon, usually, associated with ionic compounds or complex materials. Here we show that, atypically for elemental solids, few-layer graphenes can host an equilibrium out-of-plane electric polarisation, switchable by sliding the constituent graphene sheets. The systems hosting such effect include mixed-stacking tetralayers and thicker (5-9 layers) rhombohedral graphitic films with a twin boundary in the middle of a flake. The predicted electric polarisation would also appear in marginally (small-angle) twisted few-layer flakes, where lattice reconstruction would give rise to networks of mesoscale domains with alternating value and sign of out-ofplane polarisation.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)4120 - 4125
JournalNano Letters
Volume23
Issue number10
Early online date9 May 2023
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 24 May 2023

Keywords

  • Ferroelectricity
  • graphene
  • rhombohedral graphite
  • twin boundary
  • twistronics
  • screening

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  • CDT in Science and Applications of Graphene and Related Nanomaterial

    Grigorieva, I. (PI), Burnett, H. (PGR student), Cusworth, E. (PGR student), Deaconu, D.-A. (PGR student), Dumitriu-Iovanescu, A.-D. (PGR student), Kang, Y.-W. (PGR student), Little, J. (PGR student), Rees, E. (PGR student), Selles, F. (PGR student), Shaker, M. (PGR student), Soong, Y.-C. (PGR student), Swindell, J. (PGR student), Tainton, G. (PGR student), Wood, H. (PGR student), Astles, T. (PGR student), Carl, A. (PGR student), Chen, G. (PGR student), Richard De Latour, H. (PGR student), Dowinton, O. (PGR student), Haskell, S. (PGR student), Hills, K. (PGR student), Hoole, C. (PGR student), Huang, Y. (PGR student), Kalsi, T. (PGR student), Powell, L. (PGR student), Quiligotti, K. (PGR student), Rimmer, J. (PGR student), Smith, L. (PGR student), Thornley, W. (PGR student), Yang, J. (PGR student), Young, W. (PGR student), Zhao, M. (PGR student), Al Busaidi, R. (PGR student), Al Ruqeishi, E. (PGR student), Chadha, A. (PGR student), Chen, M. (PGR student), Dennis, G. (PGR student), Dunn, E. (PGR student), Gamblen, E. (PGR student), Gao, Y. (PGR student), Georgantas, Y. (PGR student), Jiang, Z. (PGR student), Karakasidi, A. (PGR student), Mcellistrim, A. (PGR student), Meehan, M. (PGR student), Okwelogu, E. (PGR student), Taylor, M. (PGR student), Wang, W. (PGR student), Xin, B. (PGR student), Castle, C. (PGR student), Clout, P. (PGR student), Dean, S. D. (PGR student), Fordham, A. (PGR student), Griffin, E. (PGR student), Hardwick, T. (PGR student), Hawkins-Pottier, G. (PGR student), Jones, A. (PGR student), Lewthwaite, K. (PGR student), Monteil, S. (PGR student), Moulsdale, C. (PGR student), Mullan, C. (PGR student), Orts Mercadillo, V. (PGR student), Sanderson, D. (PGR student), Skliueva, I. (PGR student), Skuse, C. (PGR student), Steiner, P. (PGR student), Winstanley, B. (PGR student), Barry, D. (PGR student), Brooks, D. (PGR student), Cai, J. (PGR student), Chen, Y. (PGR student), Chen, C. (PGR student), Draude, A. (PGR student), Emmerson, C. (PGR student), Gavriliuc, V. (PGR student), Greaves, M. (PGR student), Higgins, E. (PGR student), Mcmaster, R. (PGR student), Mcnair, R. (PGR student), O'Brien, C. (PGR student), Peasey, A. (PGR student), Pinter, G. (PGR student), Shao, S. (PGR student), Thomas, D. (PGR student), Thomas, D. (PGR student), Tsim, L. T. B. (PGR student), Wengraf, J. (PGR student), Weston, A. (PGR student), Yu, T. (PGR student), De Libero, H. (PGR student), Chan, K. C. (PGR student), Tan, Y. T. (PGR student) & Thomson, T. (CoI)

    1/04/1431/10/25

    Project: Other

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