Two-dimensional epitaxy of SnSe film on In2Se3 induced by intrinsic out-of-plane ferroelectricity

Two-dimensional (2D) van der Waals heterostructures (vdWHs) received intensive interest due to their amazing physical properties and broad applications in fields such as ultrasensitive sensors, transistors, and solar cells. Although remarkable progresses were achieved for the synthesis of 2D vdWHs, great challenges still remain for the easy preparation of 2D vdWHs because of the weak interlayer coupling. As a type of 2D semiconductor, the 2D SnSe film is particularly appealing for optoelectronic and thermoelectric devices because of its high thermoelectric and optoelectronic performance. However, the easy preparation of large-area and high-quality 2D SnSe films remains a great challenge. In this work, we proposed an approach to regulate the preparation of high-quality 2D vdWHs, which employed the polarization field of substrate as a key factor to control the diffusion barriers of the adsorbed Sn and Se atoms. Hexagonally stacking α-In2Se3 was selected as such polarized substrate because this substrate exhibits out-of-plane ferroelectricity with upward or downward polarized states at room temperature, and the two degenerated polarized states can be easily switched by applying an external electric field. It was revealed that the polarization field of α-In2Se3 can substantially influence the diffusion behavior of Sn and Se atoms on polarized α-In2Se3 substrate. So, the film growth property of SnSe film is sensitive to the polarization direction of In2Se3 substrate. Our research provides an ideal method to explore the possibility of building 2D functional nanoelectronic devices.