Superconductivity and ferroelectricity found in the same 2D material

When it comes to two-dimensional materials, it's best to expect the unexpected. Writing in Nature, researchers at Columbia find evidence that two competing phenomena—superconductivity and ferroelectricity—can occur within the same material. "This is the first time that a tunable switch between ferroelectricity and superconductivity has ever been seen," said corresponding author Daniel Rhodes. "We don't fully understand it just yet, but it's definitely there."