Electroresistance in multipolar antiferroelectric Cu2Se semiconductor

• Published in: Nature communications 2021-12, Vol.12 (1), p.1-6, Article 7207
• Main Authors: Bai, Hui, Wu, Jinsong, Su, Xianli, Peng, Haoyang, Li, Zhi, Yang, Dongwang, Zhang, Qingjie, Uher, Ctirad, Tang, Xinfeng
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 147/137; 147/143; 639/301/119/996; 639/301/299/2736; Antiferroelectricity; Computer applications; Copper selenides; Crystal structure; Crystallinity; Domains; Electric dipoles; Electric fields; Electrical resistivity; Electronics industry; Humanities and Social Sciences; multidisciplinary; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); Tetrahedra
• ISSN: 2041-1723; 2041-1723
• DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-27531-x

Electric field-induced changes in the electrical resistance of a material are considered essential and enabling processes for future efficient large-scale computations. However, the underlying physical mechanisms of electroresistance are currently remain largely unknown. Herein, an electrically reversible resistance change has been observed in the thermoelectric α -Cu 2 Se. The spontaneous electric dipoles formed by Cu + ions displaced from their positions at the centers of Se-tetrahedrons in the ordered α -Cu 2 Se phase are examined, and α -Cu 2 Se phase is identified to be a multipolar antiferroelectric semiconductor. When exposed to the applied voltage, a reversible switching of crystalline domains aligned parallel to the polar axis results in an observed reversible resistance change. The study expands on opportunities for semiconductors with localized polar symmetry as the hardware basis for future computational architectures. The reaction of a conductive ferroelectric matter to external electric field remains largely unknown. Here, the authors reveal the relationship between the electrically-driven crystalline domain transition along the multiple-polar directions and the resistance change.