Ferroelectricity in Atomically Thin Metallic TaNiTe$_5$ with Ultrahigh Carrier Density

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates the coexistence of ferroelectricity and ultrahigh carrier density in atomically thin TaNiTe5, challenging traditional views and opening new avenues for 2D ferroelectric metals.

Contribution

It introduces a new 2D ferroelectric metal with high carrier density, showing ferroelectricity persists at atomic thickness with potential for novel electronic applications.

Findings

Robust ferroelectricity observed in monolayer TaNiTe5 at room temperature

Structural evidence links ferroelectricity to Te atom displacement

Carrier density comparable to copper, coexisting with ferroelectricity

Abstract

Ferroelectric metals, characterized by the coexistence of ferroelectricity and metallic conductivity, present a fundamental challenge due to the screening effect of free charge carriers on the long-range electric dipole order. Existing strategies to circumvent this obstacle include employing two-dimensional (2D) crystals, where reduced dimensionality and low carrier densities suppress screening, or designing materials of van der Waals (vdW) superlattice with spatially separated and decoupled conductive and nearly insulating ferroelectric layers. Here, we report an alternative paradigm in TaNiTe5, where an ultrahigh carrier density coexists with an out-of-plane ferroelectric order within the same surface monolayer. Using piezoresponse force microscopy (PFM), we observed robust ferroelectric behavior in TaNiTe5 down to single-unit-cell thickness (~1.3 nm) at room temperature. Scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) gives structural evidence that the ferroelectricity might originate from the vertical displacement of outmost Te atoms on the surface, breaking the inversion symmetry. Concurrently, electrical transport measurements reveal a metallic state with a carrier density on the order of 10$^{15}$ cm$^{-2}$ (or 10$^{22}$ cm$^{-3}$) -- comparable to that of Copper (Cu). Our findings establish a unique platform for exploring the interplay between ferroelectricity and an ultrahigh density of mobile carriers in the 2D limit.