Electronic structure orientation as a map of in-plane antiferroelectricity in beta'- Indium(III) Selenide

Abstract

Antiferroelectric (AFE) materials are excellent candidates for sensors, capacitors, and data storage due to their electrical switchability and high-energy storage capacity. However, imaging the nanoscale landscape of AFE domains is notoriously inaccessible, which has hindered development and intentional tuning of AFE materials. Here, we demonstrate that polarization-dependent photoemission electron microscopy (PD-PEEM) can resolve the arrangement and orientation of in-plane AFE domains on the nanoscale, despite the absence of a net lattice polarization. Through direct determination of electronic transition orientations and analysis of domain boundary constraints, we establish that antiferroelectricity in beta'-In2Se3 is a robust property from the nanometer to the 10s µm scale, confirming beta'-In2Se3 is an excellent candidate for applications requiring control of AFE polarization. Ultimately, the understanding of nanoscale AFE domain organization presented here opens the door to new investigations in the influence of domain formation and orientation on charge transport and dynamics.