Dissipation from Interlayer Friction in Graphene Nanoelectromechanical Resonators.

A unique feature of two-dimensional (2D) materials is the ultralow friction at their van der Waals interfaces. A key question in a new generation of 2D heterostructure-based nanoelectromechanical systems (NEMS) is how the low friction interfaces will affect the dynamic performance. Here, we apply the exquisite sensitivity of graphene nanoelectromechanical drumhead resonators to compare the dissipation from monolayer, Bernal-stacked bilayer, and twisted bilayer graphene membranes. We find a significant difference in the average quality factors of three resonator types: 53 for monolayer, 40 for twisted and 31 for Bernal-stacked membranes. We model this difference as a combination of change in stiffness and additional dissipation from interlayer friction during motion. We find even the lowest frictions measured on sliding 2D interfaces are sufficient to alter dissipation in 2D NEMS. This model provides a generalized approach to quantify dissipation in NEMS based on 2D heterostructures which incorporate interlayer slip and friction.

Buckling-Mediated Phase Transitions in Nano-Electromechanical Phononic Waveguides.

Waveguides for mechanical signal transmission in the megahertz to gigahertz regimes enable on-chip phononic circuitry, which brings new capabilities complementing photonics and electronics. Lattices of coupled nano-electromechanical drumhead resonators are suitable for these waveguides due to their high Q-factor and precisely engineered band structure. Here, we show that thermally induced elastic buckling of such resonators causes a phase transition in the waveguide leading to reversible control of signal transmission. Specifically, when cooled, the lowest-frequency transmission band associated with the primary acoustic mode vanishes. Experiments show the merging of the lower and upper band gaps, such that signals remain localized at the excitation boundary. Numerical simulations show that the temperature-induced destruction of the pass band is a result of inhomogeneous elastic buckling, which disturbs the waveguide's periodicity and suppresses the wave propagation. Mechanical phase transitions in waveguides open opportunities for drastic phononic band reconfiguration in on-chip circuitry and computing.

Patternable Process-Induced Strain in 2D Monolayers and Heterobilayers.

Strain engineering in two-dimensional (2D) materials is a powerful but difficult to control approach to tailor material properties. Across applications, there is a need for device-compatible techniques to design strain within 2D materials. This work explores how process-induced strain engineering, commonly used by the semiconductor industry to enhance transistor performance, can be used to pattern complex strain profiles in monolayer MoS2 and 2D heterostructures. A traction-separation model is identified to predict strain profiles and extract the interfacial traction coefficient of 1.3 ± 0.7 MPa/µm and the damage initiation threshold of 16 ± 5 nm. This work demonstrates the utility to (1) spatially pattern the optical band gap with a tuning rate of 91 ± 1 meV/% strain and (2) induce interlayer heterostrain in MoS2-WSe2 heterobilayers. These results provide a CMOS-compatible approach to design complex strain patterns in 2D materials with important applications in 2D heterogeneous integration into CMOS technologies, moiré engineering, and confining quantum systems.

Correction: Probing antiferromagnetism in exfoliated Fe3GeTe2 using magneto-transport measurements.

Correction for 'Probing antiferromagnetism in exfoliated Fe3GeTe2 using magneto-transport measurements' by Stasiu T. Chyczewski et al., Nanoscale, 2023, https://doi.org/10.1039/D3NR01022H.

Bend-Induced Ferroelectric Domain Walls in α-In2Se3.

The low bending stiffness of atomic membranes from van der Waals ferroelectrics such as α-In2Se3 allow access to a regime of strong coupling between electrical polarization and mechanical deformation at extremely high strain gradients and nanoscale curvatures. Here, we investigate the atomic structure and polarization at bends in multilayer α-In2Se3 at high curvatures down to 0.3 nm utilizing atomic-resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy, density functional theory, and piezoelectric force microscopy. We find that bent α-In2Se3 produces two classes of structures: arcs, which form at bending angles below ∼33°, and kinks, which form above ∼33°. While arcs preserve the original polarization of the material, kinks contain ferroelectric domain walls that reverse the out-of-plane polarization. We show that these kinks stabilize ferroelectric domains that can be extremely small, down to 2 atoms or ∼4 Å wide at their narrowest point. Using DFT modeling and the theory of geometrically necessary disclinations, we derive conditions for the formation of kink-induced ferroelectric domain boundaries. Finally, we demonstrate direct control over the ferroelectric polarization using templated substrates to induce patterned micro- and nanoscale ferroelectric domains with alternating polarization. Our results describe the electromechanical coupling of α-In2Se3 at the highest limits of curvature and demonstrate a strategy for nanoscale ferroelectric domain patterning.