Local ferroelectric polarization switching driven by nanoscale distortions in thermoelectric [Formula: see text].

ABSTRACT: A remarkable decrease in the lattice thermal conductivity and enhancement of thermoelectric figure of merit were recently observed in rock-salt cubic SnTe, when doped with germanium (Ge). Primarily, based on theoretical analysis, the decrease in lattice thermal conductivity was attributed to local ferroelectric fluctuations induced softening of the optical phonons which may strongly scatter the heat carrying acoustic phonons. Although the previous structural analysis indicated that the local ferroelectric transition temperature would be near room temperature in [Formula: see text], a direct evidence of local ferroelectricity remained elusive. Here we report a direct evidence of local nanoscale ferroelectric domains and their switching in [Formula: see text] using piezoeresponse force micro

SUBMITTER: Vasdev A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8387443 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature