近日，美国密歇根大学Mi, Zetian团队研究了纤锌矿铁电体中的电场感应畴壁。相关论文于2025年4月16日发表在《自然》杂志上。

纤锌矿铁电体在下一代微电子领域具有变革潜力。全面了解它们的铁电特性和畴能学对于调整它们的铁电特性和在实际器件中利用它们的功能特性至关重要。尽管研究兴趣日益浓厚，但纤锌矿铁电体畴壁的确切构型和电子结构仍然是未知的。

研究组解释了铁电ScGaN中电场诱导畴壁的原子构型和电子性质。通过透射电镜和理论计算相结合，揭示了二维六边形相屈曲的带电畴壁。密度泛函理论计算证实，这种畴壁结构进一步在禁带内产生了前所未有的中隙状态。定量分析揭示了一种稳定铁电材料反极性畴壁的普遍电荷补偿机制，其中180°畴壁处的极化不连续被未成键的价电子补偿。此外，实验证明了这些畴壁的可重构电导率，展示了它们在超大尺寸器件应用中的潜力。

附：英文原文

Title: Electric-field-induced domain walls in wurtzite ferroelectrics

Author: Wang, Ding, Wang, Danhao, Molla, Mahlet, Liu, Yujie, Yang, Samuel, Yuan, Shuaishuai, Liu, Jiangnan, Hu, Mingtao, Wu, Yuanpeng, Ma, Tao, Sun, Kai, Guo, Hong, Kioupakis, Emmanouil, Mi, Zetian

Issue&Volume: 2025-04-16

Abstract: Wurtzite ferroelectrics have transformative potential for next-generation microelectronics. A comprehensive understanding of their ferroelectric properties and domain energetics is crucial for tailoring their ferroelectric characteristics and exploiting their functional properties in practical devices. Despite burgeoning interest, the exact configurations and electronic structures of domain walls in wurtzite ferroelectrics remain elusive. Here we explain the atomic configurations and electronic properties of electric-field-induced domain walls in ferroelectric ScGaN. By combining transmission electron microscopy and theoretical calculations, a charged domain wall with a buckled two-dimensional hexagonal phase is revealed. Density functional theory calculations confirm that such domain-wall structures further give rise to unprecedented mid-gap states within the forbidden band. Quantitative analysis unveils a universal charge-compensation mechanism stabilizing antipolar domain walls in ferroelectric materials, in which the polarization discontinuity at the 180° domain wall is compensated by the unbonded valence electrons. Furthermore, the reconfigurable conductivity of these domain walls is experimentally demonstrated, showcasing their potential for ultrascaled device applications.

DOI: 10.1038/s41586-025-08812-7

Source: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-08812-7