Ultra‐High Carrier Mobilities in Ferroelectric Domain Wall Corbino Cones at Room Temperature

Electrons break speed records racing along domain walls

27 January 2023

Electrons have been found to race along boundaries within a crystalline oxide at speeds usually only seen in the ‘super material’ graphene.

Domain walls are ultrathin boundaries that exist in some crystalline materials. Since they can be easily formed, destroyed and shifted on demand, they are promising for highly versatile electric circuits that can be rerouted on demand.

Now, a team led by researchers from Queen’s University Belfast in the United Kingdom has examined the electric properties of conical domain walls in a thin film of the crystalline oxide lithium niobate — an ideal system for exploring domain walls.

They recorded remarkably high electron mobilities, which are usually attainable only at extremely low temperatures in oxides.

This property of domain walls combined with their flexibility make them very attractive for new kinds of electronic devices that are extremely adaptable.

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References

1. Advanced Materials 34 2204298 (2022). doi: 10.1002/adma.202204298