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2D multiferroics with combined ferroic orders have gained attention owing to their novel functionality and underlying science. Intrinsic ferroelastic–ferroelectric multiferroicity in single‐crystalline van der Waals rhenium dichalcogenides, whose symmetries are broken by the Peierls distortion and layer‐stacking order, is demonstrated. Ferroelastic switching of the domain orientation and accompanying anisotropic properties is achieved with 1% uniaxial strain using the polymer encapsulation method. Based on the electron localization function and bond dissociation energy of the Re–Re bonds, the change in bond configuration during the evolution of the domain wall and the preferred switching between the two specific orientation states are explained. Furthermore, the ferroelastic switching of ferroelectric polarization is confirmed using the photovoltaic effect. The study provides insights into the reversible bond‐switching process and potential applications based on 2D multiferroicity.

Hafnium oxide thin films were deposited using both the remote-plasma atomic layer deposition (RPALD) and direct-plasma atomic layer deposition (DPALD) methods. Metal-oxide semiconductor (MOS) capacitors and transistors were fabricated with HfO2 gate dielectric to examine their electrical characteristics. The as-deposited RPALD HfO2 layer exhibited an amorphous structure, while the DPALD HfO2 layer exhibited a polycrystalline structure. Medium-energy ion scattering measurement data indicate that the interfacial layer consisted of interfacial SiO2−x and silicate layers. This suggests that the change in stoichiometry with depth could be related to the energetic plasma beam used in the plasma ALD process, resulting in damage to the Si surface and an interaction between Hf and SiO2−x. The as-deposited RPALD HfO2 films had better interfacial layer characteristics, such as an effective fixed oxide charge density (Qf,eff) and interfacial roughness than the DPALD HfO2 films did. A MOS capacitor fabricated using the RPALD method exhibited an equivalent oxide thickness (EOT) of 1.8nm with a Qf,eff=−4.2×1011q∕cm2 (where q is the elementary charge, 1.6022×10−19C), whereas a MOS capacitor fabricated using the DPALD method had an EOT=2.0nm and a Qf,eff=−1.2×1013q∕cm2. At a power=0.6MV∕cm, the RPALD n-type metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistor (nMOSFET) showed μeff=168cm2∕Vs, which was 50% greater than the value of the DPALD nMOSFET (μeff=111cm2∕Vs). In the region where Vg-Vt=2.0V, the RPALD MOSFET drain current was about 30% higher than the DPALD MOSFET drain current. These improvements are believed to be due to the lower effective fixed charge density, and they minimize problems arising from plasma charging damage.

Although Sb 2 Te 3 , as a candidate material for nextgeneration memory devices, has attractive properties such as higher operation speed and lower power consumption than Ge 2 Sb 2 Te 5 , its poor stability prevents its application to commercial memory devices. Transition metal dopants provide enhancements in its phase change characteristics, improving both thermal stability and operation energy. However, the enhancement mechanism remains to be sufficiently investigated, and standard properties need to be achieved. Herein, the phase change properties of Sb 2 Te 3 are confirmed to be enhanced by the incorporation of a heavy transition metal element such as Ag. The crystallization temperature increases by nearly 40%, and the operation energy is reduced by approximately 60%. These enhancements are associated with the changes in the local Sb 2 Te 3 structure caused by Ag incorporation. As the incorporated Ag atoms substitute Sb in the Sb−Te octahedron, this turns into a Ag−Te defective tetrahedron with a strong Ag−Te bond that induces distortion in the crystal lattice. The formation of this bond is attributed to the electron configuration of Ag and its fully filled d orbital. Thus, Ag-doped Sb 2 Te 3 is a promising candidate for practical phase change memory devices with high stability and high operation speed.

Te/Sb/Ge and Sb/Te/Ge multilayer films with an atomically controlled interface were synthesized using effusion cell and e-beam techniques. The layers interacted during the deposition, resulting in films composed of Sb-Te+Sb-Sb/Ge and Sb/Sb-Te/Ge-Te/Ge respectively. Atomic diffusion and chemical reactions in films during the annealing process were investigated by photoemission spectroscopy. In the case of Te/Sb/Ge, Ge diffused into the Sb-Te region released Sb in Sb-Te bonds and interacted with residual Te, resulting in a change in valence band line shape, which was similar to that of a Ge(1)Sb(2)Te(4) crystalline phase. The Ge-Sb-Te alloy underwent a stoichiometric change during the process, resulting in a 1.2:2:4 ratio, consistent with the most stable stoichiometry value calculated by ab initio density-functional theory. The experimental results strongly suggest that the most stable structure is generated through a reaction process involving the minimization of total energy. In addition, Ge in the Sb/Te/Ge film diffused into Sb-Te region by thermal energy. However, Ge was not able to diffuse to the near surface because Sb atoms of the high concentration at the surface were easily segregated and hindered the diffusion of other elements.

Topological materials have significant potential for spintronic applications owing to their superior spin-charge interconversion. Here, the spin-to-charge conversion (SCC) characteristics of epitaxial Bi 1−x Sb x films is investigated across the topological phase transition by spintronic terahertz (THz) spectroscopy. An unexpected, intense spintronic THz emission is observed in the topologically nontrivial semimetal Bi 1−x Sb x films, significantly greater than that of Pt and Bi 2 Se 3 , which indicates the potential of Bi 1−x Sb x for spintronic applications. More importantly, the topological surface state (TSS) is observed to significantly contribute to SCC, despite the coexistence of the bulk state, which is possible via a unique ultrafast SCC process, considering the decay process of the spin-polarized hot electrons. This means that topological material-based spintronic devices should be fabricated in a manner that fully utilizes the TSS, not the bulk state, to maximize their performance. The results not only provide a clue for identifying the source of the giant spin Hall angle of Bi 1−x Sb x , but also expand the application potential of topological materials by indicating that the optically induced spin current provides a unique method for focused-spin injection into the TSS.

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