Researchers at Nagoya University have achieved a significant milestone by synthesizing barium titanate (BaTiO3) nanosheets measuring just 1.8 nanometers in thickness, marking the thinnest freestanding ferroelectric film to date. This breakthrough addresses the "size effect," a phenomenon where reduced thickness diminishes material functionality, particularly in ferroelectrics, which are crucial for memory devices and vibrational power generation due to their reversible polarization properties. The synthesis was accomplished by Professor Minoru Osada’s team, utilizing a novel aqueous process at a low temperature of 60°C, contrasting sharply with traditional methods requiring temperatures above 1000°C. The ability to control the thickness during synthesis opens avenues for discovering new properties and applications. This development is particularly timely, as existing materials and processes have reached performance limits; thus, innovative techniques like this are essential for advancing the miniaturization of devices such as memories and capacitors. The findings, published in Advanced Electronic Materials, indicate that further exploration into ultrathin ferroelectrics could lead to significant technological innovations and enhanced device performance.
