Photoluminescent Ferroelectric LiNbO3 Crystals Grown from MXenes

• Published in: Advanced functional materials Vol. 30; no. 47
• Main Authors: Tu, Shaobo, Mizohata, Masayuki, Sheng, Guan, Liu, Lingmei, Ming, Fangwang, Xu, Chao‐Nan, Tu, Dong, Zhang, Xixiang, Alshareef, Husam N.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hoboken Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 01.11.2020
• Subjects: Crystal growth; Crystal structure; Ferroelectric crystals; Ferroelectric materials; Ferroelectricity; High aspect ratio; Lithium niobates; Materials science; MXenes; Niobium carbide; Optoelectronics; Photoluminescence; plate‐like crystals; Potassium niobates; Structural analysis; well‐orientated crystals
• ISSN: 1616-301X; 1616-3028
• DOI: 10.1002/adfm.201909843

MXenes have recently been used to grow highly textured potassium niobate ferroelectric crystals. Herein, the versatility of MXenes is further demonstrated by growing ferroelectric and luminescent lithium niobate (LiNbO3) crystals from niobium carbide MXene (Nb2CTx). The formation of high‐aspect‐ratio LiNbO3 rhombic crystals is confirmed by extensive structural analysis. The ferroelectricity of MXene‐derived LiNbO3 is verified, using standard ferroelectric and dielectric measurements. In addition, for the first time, Pr3+‐doped LiNbO3 crystals are synthesized with simultaneous visible photoluminescence (PL) from Nb2CTx MXene. This work demonstrates that it is possible, by using the 2D character of MXenes, to fabricate high aspect ratio and well‐oriented photoluminescent ferroelectric crystals for advanced optoelectronic applications. MXene‐derived high aspect‐ratio lithium niobate (LiNbO3) single crystals are successfully synthesized using 2D Nb2C MXene and LiOH as the niobium and lithium sources, respectively. In addition, trivalent rare‐earth ions are doped in the M‐LiNbO3 crystals using a new synthesis process, and provide photoluminescent properties to those doped LiNbO3 crystals.