Functional ferroic heterostructures with tunable integral symmetry
| Autor: | Martin Lilienblum, Carsten Becher, Dennis Meier, S. J. Suresha, Christofer T. Nelson, Manfred Fiebig, Di Yi, Pu Yu, Ramamoorthy Ramesh, Morgan Trassin |
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| Rok vydání: | 2013 |
| Předmět: |
Multidisciplinary
Materials science Condensed matter physics General Physics and Astronomy Nanotechnology Heterojunction General Chemistry Dynamic control Ferroelectricity General Biochemistry Genetics and Molecular Biology Symmetry (physics) Crystal Condensed Matter::Materials Science Material properties |
| Zdroj: | Nature Communications |
| ISSN: | 2041-1723 |
| Popis: | The relation between symmetry and functionality was pinpointed by Pierre Curie who stated that it is the symmetry breaking that creates physical properties. This fundamental principle is nowadays used for engineering heterostructures whose integral symmetry leads to exotic phenomena such as one-way transparency. For switching devices, however, such symmetry-related functionalities cannot be used because the symmetry in conventional heterostructures is immutable once the material has been synthesized. Here we demonstrate a concept for post-growth symmetry control in PbZr0.2Ti0.8O3 and BiFeO3-based heterostructures. A conducting oxide is sandwiched between two ferroelectric layers, and inversion symmetry is reversibly switched on or off by layer-selective electric-field poling. The generalization of our approach to other materials and symmetries is discussed. We thus establish ferroic trilayer structures as device components with reversibly tunable symmetry and demonstrate their use as light emitters that can be activated and deactivated by applying moderate electric voltages. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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