Nonvolatile Ferroelectric Memory Effect in Ultrathin α‐In₂Se₃

TLDR

High‑density memory is essential in solid‑state electronics, and 2D ferroelectrics such as α‑In₂Se₃ provide a new ultrathin platform with room‑temperature out‑of‑plane ferroelectricity under ambient conditions. The study demonstrates a nonvolatile memory effect in a hybrid 2D FeFET composed of ultrathin α‑In₂Se₃ and graphene. The FeFET’s graphene channel resistance is controllable and retentive through electrostatic doping induced by the ferroelectric α‑In₂Se₃ polarization, allowing logic bits to be encoded by the dipole orientation. The device can be rewritten over more than 10⁵ cycles while retaining nonvolatility, demonstrating a rewritable nonvolatile memory prototype based on van der Waals 2D ferroelectrics.

Abstract

Abstract High‐density memory is integral in solid‐state electronics. 2D ferroelectrics offer a new platform for developing ultrathin electronic devices with nonvolatile functionality. Recent experiments on layered α‐In 2 Se 3 confirm its room‐temperature out‐of‐plane ferroelectricity under ambient conditions. Here, a nonvolatile memory effect in a hybrid 2D ferroelectric field‐effect transistor (FeFET) made of ultrathin α‐In 2 Se 3 and graphene is demonstrated. The resistance of the graphene channel in the FeFET is effectively controllable and retentive due to the electrostatic doping, which stems from the electric polarization of the ferroelectric α‐In 2 Se 3 . The electronic logic bit can be represented and stored with different orientations of electric dipoles in the top‐gate ferroelectric. The 2D FeFET can be randomly rewritten over more than 10 5 cycles without losing the nonvolatility. The approach demonstrates a prototype of rewritable nonvolatile memory with ferroelectricity in van der Waals 2D materials.