Electric-Field-Induced Domain Walls in Wurtzite Ferroelectrics

Wurtzite ferroelectrics hold transformative potential for next-generation microelectronics. However, fundamental atomic-level understanding of their intrinsic switching mechanisms and domain energetics remains elusive. By combining scanning transmission electron microscopy and density functional theory, we reveal sub-nanometer electric-field-induced domain walls in a representative wurtzite ferroelectric, ScGaN. We observe vertical domain walls with side-by-side antiparallel polarization and, significantly, a new type of horizontal domain wall featuring a novel "2H MoS2-like" configuration. Such configuration substantiates a buckled hexagonal phase with large polarization discontinuity and rich dangling bonds, offering a new framework for domain wall electronics. Our findings mark a pivotal step in understanding ferroelectric domain switching in this emerging material class and lay the groundwork for fundamental physics studies and innovative device applications based on wurtzite ferroelectrics.