Unraveling Novel Ferroelectric and Multiferroic Properties in Free-Standing 2D MXene Films for Data Storage

Abstract

Ferroelectric and multiferroic materials, particularly in the realm of two-dimensional (2D) materials, have gained significant interest for their potential applications in future data storage technologies. This thesis presents a comprehensive exploration, encompassing an extensive literature review on ferroelectricity, multiferroics, and 2D materials, along with decoding characterization techniques and synthesis approaches for MXenes. The study focuses on unveiling the frequency-dependent ferroelectric properties of 2D Ti3C2Tx MXene film at room-temperature. Through electric polarization vs electric field (P-E) measurements at varying frequencies and under static magnetic field, the research demonstrates a clear frequency and dependence of electric domains and magnetic field control of electric polarization, affirming the presence of magneto-electric (ME) effect. Additionally, the thesis highlights the synthesis of double transition metal (DTM) carbide MXene film with enhanced ferroelectricity and induced multiferroicity. Ferroelectric and magnetic hysteresis loops, along with magnetoelectric effect analyses, further underscore the co-existence of ferroelectric and multiferroics in DTM MXene film, opening avenues for electronic device applications. Furthermore, the investigation delves into the utilization of ferroelectric Ti3C2Tx and Nb2CTx MXene film in resistive data storage devices, showcasing stable switching behavior and enhanced on/off ratio compared to nonferroelectric counterparts. This underscores the potential of 2D ferroelectric materials in advancing data storage technologies. The study concludes with the discussion of significance of resistive random-access memory (RRAM) devices as promising alternatives to silicon-based flash memory, emphasizing the potential of 2D materials i.e., xviii MXenes in overcoming existing challenges in data storage technology. Future recommendations focus on further exploration of ferroelectricity and multiferroicity in MXenes to propel advancements in next-generation electronics. In essence, this study lays a solid foundation for the advancement of MXene-based electronics, offering a pathway towards realizing high-performance, multifunctional data storage devices for the future.