Bypassing non-centrosymmetric crystal structure requirement through surface engineering significantly boosts electrical and spin currents

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1112792

"materials lacking inversion symmetry required to generate current without a p–n junction... overcome, shifting focus from bulk crystal to surface where symmetry naturally broken... thallium on silicon(111) superior platform rivaling ferroelectric materials... abundant/ symmetric materials instead of rare/ complex crystals... new pathways for highly efficient junction-free PV, spin current generation with light alone/ no magnets or external voltages for ultrafast low-power spintronic data processing devices"