Buffer Layer Stabilized Single-Unit Cell Ferroelectric Bi₂TeO₅

Miniaturizing van der Waals (vdW) ferroelectric materials to atomic scales is essential for modern devices like nonvolatile memory and sensors. To unlock their full potential, their growth mechanisms, interface effects, and stabilization are preferably investigated, particularly for ultrathin 2D nanosheets with single-unit cell thickness. This study focuses on Bi₂TeO₅ (BTO) and utilizes precise control over growth kinetics at the nucleation temperature to create specific interfacial reconfiguration layers. Ultrathin BTO nanosheets with planar ferroelectricity at a single-unit cell thickness are successfully grown. Atomic-scale characterization reveals a disordered distribution of elements in the interfacial layer, which buffers strain from lattice mismatch. The theoretical calculations support these observations. Furthermore, this strategy also can be extended to the growth of a variety of 2D ternary oxide nanosheets. This work contributes to a better understanding of growth and stability mechanisms in 2D ultrathin nanosheets.