In these semiconductors, that polarity can flip under an electric field—and stay that way even after the field is gone.
A new type of semiconductor that can store information using electric fields may lead to more energy-efficient computers, ultra-precise sensors, and technologies that convert signals between electrical, optical, and acoustic forms.
However, scientists had long been puzzled by how these materials could sustain two opposing electric polarizations without breaking apart.A team of engineers at the University of Michigan has now uncovered why the materials, known as wurtzite ferroelectric nitrides, don’t tear themselves apart.“The wurtzite ferroelectric nitrides were recently discovered and have a broad range of applications in memory electronics, RF electronics, acousto-electronics, microelectromechanical systems, and quantum photonics, to name just a few. But the underlying mechanism of ferroelectric switching and charge compensation has remained elusive,” said Zetian Mi, the study’s co-corresponding author. “How is the material stabilized? It was largely unknown.”How broken bonds hold the structure togetherUsing advanced electron microscopy and quantum calculations, the researchers found that when opposing electric polarizations collide inside the material, the crystal structure momentarily fractures, creating dangling atomic bonds. Instead of weakening the structure, these broken bonds provide just the right charge balance to keep the material stable, acting like an atomic-scale glue.Like magnets, polarized materials have positive and negative ends. In these semiconductors, that polarity can flip under an electric field, and stay that way even after the field is gone.Comparison of traditional and buckled 2D hexagonal semiconductor structures, highlighting the unique phase with dangling bonds at the polarized interface.But the material often splits into regions with opposite polarizations, and scientists long puzzled over why it didn’t crack where the like charges met.Atomic-level bonds enable high-conductivity“It’s a simple and elegant result—an abrupt polarization change would typically create harmful defects, but in this case, the resulting broken bonds provide precisely the charge needed to stabilize the material,” said Emmanouil Kioupakis, a U-M professor of materials science and engineering and a co-corresponding author of the study.“What’s remarkable is that this charge cancellation isn’t just a lucky accident—it’s a direct consequence of the geometry of tetrahedra,” he said. “This makes it a universal stabilizing mechanism in all tetrahedral ferroelectrics—a class of materials that’s rapidly gaining attention for its potential in next-generation microelectronic devices.”Electron microscopy revealed the atomic structure of scandium gallium nitride, showing how the domains’ meeting points caused the usual hexagonal structure to buckle, creating broken bonds. These bonds, closer than normal, form a structure further understood through density functional theory calculations.A key to high-power, high-frequency electronicsThese dangling bonds stabilize the material and act as a conductive channel for electricity, carrying about 100 times more charge than typical gallium nitride transistors. This channel can be controlled by adjusting the electric field, offering a tunable pathway for current flow.Recognizing its potential as a field-effect transistor, the team aims to develop this material for high-power, high-frequency electronics. The device was crafted at the Lurie Nanofabrication Facility and analyzed at the Michigan Center for Materials Characterization.The study has been published in the journal Nature.
Field-Effect Transistor High-Frequency Electronics. Microelectronics Polarization Scandium Gallium Nitride Semiconductor University Of Michigan Wurtzite Ferroelectric Nitrides
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Electric bike rider hospitalized with broken leg after Lancaster County crashAn electric bicyclist in Lancaster County has been hospitalized after suffering a broken leg in a vehicle crash, according to Lancaster City Police.Police say
Read more »
Fran Lebowitz on Why Our Concept of “Now” Is BrokenFran Lebowitz thinks the world would improve if everyone just tried to look better. For nearly 50 years, her topical opinions on everything from high fashion to partisan politics have shaped conversation and culture, cementing her as one of today's most respected thought leaders.
Read more »
100x more fusion power: US firm reduces energy reactor cost by 50% with new machineTAE Technologies' latest experiments demonstrate significant improvements in fusion reactor performance and efficiency using a smaller, less complex machine.
Read more »
Researcher proposes scaling Ethereum gas limit by 100x over 4 yearsEthereum researcher Dankrad Feist proposed bolstering Ethereum’s gas limit by 100-fold over four years, potentially allowing the network to handle 2,000 transactions per second.
Read more »
1st Santa Clara County overdose death of carfentanil, 100x more potent than fentanylThe Santa Clara County Medical Examiner's Office confirmed the county's first overdose death from carfentanil, an opioid approximately 10,000 times more potent than morphine and 100 times more potent than fentanyl.
Read more »
Ethereum in Big Trouble if It Doesn't Scale 100X, Researcher WarnsFixing Ethereum's predicament requires unorthodox solutions, according to researcher Dankrad Feist
Read more »