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Solid solution has long been used in inorganic oxides to modulate structures and physical properties. In contrast, for molecular solid solutions, new and unexpected properties can emerge because of...

The isotope effect usually brings improved performance or new features, such as KD2PO4 and SrTi18O3 inducing a higher phase transition temperature (Tc) and ferroelectricity, respectively. However, ...

Organic–inorganic hybrid molecular ferroelastics have gained widespread attention as a promising candidate for data storage, sensor, and mechanical switch applications. However, it remains a great ...

Two inorganic–organic hybrid compounds with zero-dimensional crystal structures, tetramethylphosphonium tetrachloroferrate(III) (compound 1, [(CH3)4P][FeCl4]) and tetramethylphosphonium tetrabromoferrate(III) (compound 2, [(CH3)4P][FeBr4]), are discovered as multifunctional materials exhibiting simultaneously switchable dielectric, magnetic, and optical properties. Despite the analogue chemical formulas, compounds 1 and 2 crystallize in the different noncentrosymmetric space groups, that is, P63mc and F43m, and exhibit distinct responses in the three above-mentioned physical channels, especially for the magnetic property. Compound 1 undergoes dielectric anomalies which could be tuned in three distinct dielectric states and switched by the sequential phase transitions around 362 and 436 K, respectively. The symmetry breaking occurring during the first phase transition is confirmed by the switchable temperature-dependent second harmonic generation (SHG) effect. Weak antiferromagnetic interactions are also ...