Molecularly Thin BaTiO3 Nanosheets with Stable Ferroelectric Response

2D ferroelectrics provide great promise for future electronics owing to their unique properties at 2D limit. Although simple perovskite oxides (such as BaTiO3 and PbTiO3) are an important target for 2D ferroelectrics, controlled synthesis of 2D nanosheets still remains a challenge. Here, this issue is addressed by using a new chemical protocol; unilamellar Ti0.87O2 nanosheets can serve as templates, guiding the solvothermal synthesis of 2D BaTiO3 nanosheets with a molecularly thin thickness (< 3 nm). Raman spectroscopy, second-harmonic generation, and transmission electron microscopy characterizations suggest the formation of tetragonal ferroelectric BaTiO3 nanosheets. Based on piezoresponse force microscopy, BaTiO3 nanosheets exhibit a clear ferroelectric response with a high Curie temperature (approximate to 100 degrees C) even down to 1.8 nm thickness. This study provides new opportunities to investigate perovskite ferroelectrics with the critical thickness.

Automated summary

A new chemical protocol is used to synthesize molecularly thin BaTiO3 nanosheets using unilamellar Ti0.87O2 nanosheets as templates. Characterizations suggest the formation of tetragonal ferroelectric BaTiO3 nanosheets. This study provides new opportunities to investigate perovskite ferroelectrics with critical thickness.