Two-dimensional ferroelasticity in van der Waals β'-In₂Se₃.

ABSTRACT: Two-dimensional (2D) materials exhibit remarkable mechanical properties, enabling their applications as flexible and stretchable ultrathin devices. As the origin of several extraordinary mechanical behaviors, ferroelasticity has also been predicted theoretically in 2D materials, but so far lacks experimental validation and investigation. Here, we present the experimental demonstration of 2D ferroelasticity in both exfoliated and chemical-vapor-deposited β'-In₂Se₃ down to few-layer thickness. We identify quantitatively 2D spontaneous strain originating from in-plane antiferroelectric distortion, using both atomic-resolution electron microscopy and in situ X-ray diffraction. The symmetry-equivalent strain orientations give rise to three domain variants separated by 60°

SUBMITTER: Xu C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8209144 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature