ArXiv · 2026
Designing nonlinear piezoelectricity requires suppressing the linear piezoelectric coefficient without extinguishing higher-order electromechanical response, yet a general and reconfigurable route remains lacking. Here we introduce stacking-engineered piezoelectric interference as such a mechanism in multilayer sliding ferroelectrics. Combining first-principles calculations with a generalized Ginzburg–Landau framework, we show that each interlayer gap acts as a local piezoelectric channel whose sign and magnitude are determined by stacking. Constructive interference between same-signed channels produces a linear-dominated response, whereas destructive interference between oppositely signed channels suppresses the linear coefficient while preserving a finite quadratic response. Representative MoS₂ and NiTe₂ multilayers approach the parabolic limit, with BAAC-stacked MoS₂ reducing the linear-to-quadratic crossover strain by a factor of 25 relative to CBA-stacked MoS₂. Experimentally accessible tetralayer MoS₂ sliding pathways further connect linear-dominated, quadratic-dominated and sign-inverted states. Here, we identify stacking-engineered interference as a design principle for programmable nonlinear electromechanics in layered materials.
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