The thermomechanical cost of the GeTe/Si interface

What is it about?

Thin films have many technological applications. Their manufacturing processes can induce a high mechanical stress that can affect their properties and stability. We have shown that thin films of GeTe ferroelectric alloy grown on silicon substrate undergo huge changes in their ferroelectric state during thermal cycling. We attribute this effect to the development of a thermomechanical stress induced by the thermal expansion differential between GeTe thin film and Si substrate.

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Photo by Ash Edmonds on Unsplash

Photo by Ash Edmonds on Unsplash

Why is it important?

Ferroelectric Rashba Semiconductors, such as the GeTe alloy, are a new class of materials with great potential for spintronic applications. To control these properties, it is crucial to be able to manipulate the ferroelectric state of the material. In this article, we highlight the energy cost and switching process of the ferroelectric polarisation of GeTe thin films.

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