Synthesis, physics, and applications of ferroelectric nanomaterials

Improvement of both solution and vapor-phase synthetic techniques for nanoscale ferroelectrics has fueled progress in fundamental understanding of the polar phase at reduced dimensions, and this physical insight has pushed the boundaries of ferroelectric phase stability and polarization switching to sub-10 nm dimensions. The development and characterization of new ferroelectric nanomaterials has opened new avenues toward future nonvolatile memories, devices for energy storage and conversion, biosensors, and many other applications. This prospective will highlight recent progress on the synthesis, fundamental understanding, and applications of zero- and one-dimensional ferroelectric nanomaterials and propose new directions for future study in all three areas. © Materials Research Society 2015.