Superatom‐Based Ferroelectrics

Ferroelectric materials are polar with spontaneous electric polarization due to the breaking of centrosymmetry. Distinct from atoms, superatoms are anisotropic and lack spherical symmetry, and, thus, could be used as the building blocks of a new generation of ferroelectric materials. The anisotropic feature of superatoms may lead to the breaking of centrosymmetry and ferroelectricity if a switchable polarization can be formed. The amount of charge transfer may also be enhanced by the high electron affinities of superhalogens and lower ionic potentials of superalkalis, while the larger size of superatoms compared with single atoms may increase the charge transfer distance, so higher polarizations can be expected. In this chapter, we review some recent designs of superatom-based ferroelectrics, including organic ferroelectrics, hybrid organic-inorganic perovskites (HOIPs), and supersalt-based ferroelectrics.