Material Defects Become Electronic Superpowers todayheadline

Scientists have uncovered the hidden mechanism allowing next-generation semiconductors to maintain stability while supporting opposite electric fields—a finding that could revolutionize everything from quantum computing to energy-efficient electronics.

A team led by University of Michigan engineers has solved a fundamental mystery in wurtzite ferroelectric nitrides, a promising class of semiconductors that can store information in electric fields without tearing themselves apart.

“The wurtzite ferroelectric nitrides were recently discovered and have a broad range of applications in memory electronics, RF electronics, acousto-electronics, microelectromechanical systems and quantum photonics,” said Zetian Mi, the Pallab K. Bhattacharya Collegiate Professor of Engineering at the University of Michigan and co-corresponding author of the study published in Nature.

The researchers discovered that when these materials contain two opposite electrical polarizations—similar to having both north and south ends of a magnet in the same material—they develop a unique atomic-scale “fracture” at the boundary where these opposing forces meet.

Rather than causing the material to fail, this structural disruption creates dangling chemical bonds filled with electrons that perfectly balance the excess positive charge where the polarities meet. This balancing act not only prevents the material from breaking apart but creates an electronic highway with extraordinary properties.

“It’s a simple and elegant result—an abrupt polarization change would typically create harmful defects, but in this case, the resulting broken bonds provide precisely the charge needed to stabilize the material,” said Emmanouil Kioupakis, professor of materials science and engineering at Michigan and co-corresponding author.

The team used electron microscopy to reveal that at the meeting point of opposite polarizations, the normally hexagonal crystal structure buckles over several atomic layers. This creates broken bonds that hold electrons which can conduct electricity when needed.

What makes this discovery particularly significant is that these conductive pathways can be turned on and off, moved within the material, and adjusted by manipulating the electric field that controls polarization—making them ideal for next-generation electronics.

Danhao Wang, U-M postdoctoral researcher and co-corresponding author, noted: “Those interfaces have a unique atomic arrangement that has never been observed before. And even more exciting, we observed that this structure may be suitable for conductive channels in future transistors.”

The researchers immediately recognized the potential for creating field-effect transistors capable of supporting high currents—critical for high-power and high-frequency electronics—and are now focused on building such devices.

This research helps explain why these materials don’t tear themselves apart when supporting opposite electric fields, solving a mystery that had puzzled scientists since the materials were first discovered. The team’s breakthrough could accelerate development of more energy-efficient computers, ultra-precise sensors, and advanced signal conversion between electrical, optical and acoustic forms.

The researchers demonstrated they could create, move, and eliminate these conductive pathways by applying specific electric voltages, opening possibilities for an entirely new class of nanoscale electronic devices.

According to Kioupakis, what’s particularly remarkable is that this charge balancing mechanism appears to be universal across all tetrahedral ferroelectrics—a class of materials gaining attention for next-generation microelectronic applications.

The research was funded by the National Science Foundation, Army Research Office and University of Michigan College of Engineering, with devices built in the Lurie Nanofabrication Facility and studied at the Michigan Center for Materials Characterization.