Stabilizing low symmetry-based functions of materials at room temperature through isosymmetric electronic bistability.

Symmetry-breaking is pivotal for controlling ferroelectric, ferroelastic and/or ferromagnetic functions of materials, which enables applications in sensors, memory devices, transducers or actuators. Commonly, ferroic phases emerge from descending symmetry-breaking, as the laws of thermodynamics dictate that the ordered low entropy phases form at low temperature, which limits practical applications of many materials at room temperature. Rare examples of ascending symmetry-breakings have been observed, but the driving force remains often unclear.