Size-dependent polar ordering in colloidal GeTe nanocrystals

Publication Type

Journal Article

Authors

DOI

Abstract

The question of the nature and stability of polar ordering in nanoscale ferroelectrics is examined with colloidal nanocrystals of germanium telluride (GeTe). We provide atomic-scale evidence for room-temperature polar ordering in individual nanocrystals using aberration-corrected transmission electron microscopy and demonstrate a reversible, size-dependent polar-nonpolar phase transition of displacive character in nanocrystal ensembles. A substantial linear component of the distortion is observed, which is in contrast with theoretical reports predicting a toroidal state. © 2011 American Chemical Society.

Journal

Nano Letters

Volume

11

Year of Publication

2011

ISSN

15306984

Notes

cited By 65

Research Areas