Interviews with Faculty Researchers

– Interview with Dr Zhao Jiong
Assistant Professor, Department of Applied Physics
Awardee of the Faculty Award for Outstanding Achievement 2022 – Research and Scholarly Activities: Outstanding Young Researcher

Ferroelectric thin films have garnered significant attention in various fields due to their exceptional properties, including their robust spontaneous electric polarization and strong coupling with optical, electric, and magnetic fields. These films are commonly used as memory storage units for information in electronic devices, and developing a stable ferroelectric thin film that can enhance electronic device performance is of utmost importance.

The research of Dr Zhao Jiong, Assistant Professor of the Department of Applied Physics, aims to develop a new phase-controllable two-dimensional ferroelectric thin film suitable for next-generation memory and computational devices. Using a chemical-based deposition method, his team synthesized a two-dimensional ferroelectric thin film in the beta phase and adjusted the indium ratios and other elements within the film in the beta prime phase. By doing this, they were able to create a ferroelectric thin film that exhibits ferroelectricity in the alpha phase, which is a significant breakthrough in material science. It allows a single material to display three different electric properties by controlling the three phases of ferroelectric thin films. This is the first time that a material has been able to exhibit three different electric properties and introduce ferroelectricity in a single film. This development is an important advancement in the field and can pave the way for the creation of new electronic devices with improved performance and functionality.

In addition, these ferroelectric thin films have the potential to revolutionize memory storage and computational devices due to their excellent electrical conductivity and long-term information retention capabilities. They are also a cost-effective and practical solution, as they are compatible with existing synthesis methods and can be integrated into various electronic devices.

With continued research and development, ferroelectric thin films could play a crucial role in addressing critical societal issues. The development of more electronic devices using these films and the aim of the new World-Class Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) facility installed in PolyU will aid in identifying key issues and solving critical problems related to materials science and broader societal issues such as carbon neutrality, energy crisis, post-Moore’s law era electronics, and quantum technology.

迎接新一代的電子設備

– 趙炯博士專訪
應用物理學系助理教授
2022年學院特設傑出成就獎 – 研究及學術活動（傑出青年研究員）得獎者

由於鐵電薄膜具備非凡的特性，包括能穩固地進行自發性電極化，以及能與光場、電場和磁場形成強大的耦合，因此在多個使用範疇上都廣受關注。這些薄膜一般是用來製造電子設備中的資料記憶儲存器，因此研發穩定的鐵電薄膜藉以提高電子設備的性能，是目前一項相當重要的工作。

應用物理學系助理教授趙炯博士的研究目標，是研發適合新一代用於儲存及計算設備的新型相控二維鐵電薄膜。透過採用以化學方式進行的沉積法，他的研究團隊在beta-In₂Se₃中成功合成了一片二維的鐵電薄膜，以及在beta相中調整了薄膜內銦的比例和其他元素。在這個做法下，他們製造了一片能在alpha-In₂Se₃中展現出鐵電性的鐵電薄膜，在材料科學上可謂一大突破。這片薄膜能透過控制鐵電薄膜的三個相，令同一物料能具備三種不同的電學特性。這是首次令一種物料能呈現出三種不同的電學特質，以及將鐵電性引進到單一的薄膜中。這項研發成果不僅令相關的科學領域向前邁進了一大步，同時亦能為製造具備更高性能和功能的嶄新電子設備打好基礎。

此外，由於這些鐵電薄膜具有優秀的導電性能和長期保存資料的能力，因此或能為記憶儲存器和計算設備的未來發展帶來重大改變。與此同時，由於這些薄膜能兼容目前的合成方法，並且可以整合到各種電子設備中，因此是一種實用且符合成本效益的解決方案。

隨著研發工作繼續進行，鐵電薄膜有望協助我們有效解決各項重要的社會議題。透過這些薄膜來研發更多電子設備，以及運用理大達世界水平的全新穿透式電子顯微鏡(TEM)設備，將有助掌握及解決與材料科學以至其他社會議題相關的關鍵難題，當中包括碳中和、能源危機、後摩爾定律時代，以及量子技術。