Giant Hysteretic Single-Molecule Electric Polarisation Switching above Room Temperature

Continual progress has been achieved in information technology through unrelenting miniaturisation of the single memory bit in integrated ferromagnetic, ferroelectric, optical, and related circuits. However, as miniaturisation approaches its theoretical limit, new memory materials are being sought. Herein, we report a unique material exhibiting single-molecule electric polarisation switching that can operate above room temperature. The phenomenon occurs in a Preyssler-type polyoxometalate (POM) cluster we call a single-molecule electret (SME). It exhibits all the characteristics of ferroelectricity but without long-range dipole ordering. The SME affords bi-stability as a result of the two potential positions of localisation of a Tb³⁺ ion trapped in the POM, resulting in extremely slow relaxation of the polarisation and electric hysteresis with high spontaneous polarisation and coercive electric fields. Our findings suggest that SMEs can potentially be applied to ultrahigh-density memory and other molecular-level electronic devices operating above room temperature.