Strain Manipulation of Ferroelectricity and Flexoelectricity in Freestanding Membranes

The ability to create and manipulate materials in two-dimensional (2D) form has repeatedly had transformative impact on science and technology. We have developed a general method to create freestanding complex oxide membranes and heterostructures using epitaxial water-soluble buffer layers, with millimeter-scale lateral dimensions and nanometer-scale thickness. This facilitates many new opportunities; here we will focus on the use of membrane dimensions, tensile strain, and strain gradients to control the ferroelectric and flexoelectric response of oxide membranes.