UC Irvine

Recent realizations of ultrathin freestanding perovskite oxides offer a unique platform to probe novel properties in two-dimensional oxides. Here, we observe a giant flexoelectric response in freestanding BiFeO₃ and SrTiO₃ in their bent state arising from strain gradients up to 3.5 × 10⁷ m^-1, suggesting a promising approach for realizing ultra-large polarizations. Additionally, a substantial change in membrane thickness is discovered in bent freestanding BiFeO₃, which implies an unusual bending-expansion/shrinkage effect in the ferroelectric membrane that has never been seen before in crystalline materials. Our theoretical model reveals that this unprecedented flexural deformation within the membrane is attributable to a flexoelectricity-piezoelectricity interplay. The finding unveils intriguing nanoscale electromechanical properties and provides guidance for their practical applications in flexible nanoelectromechanical systems.