Spin disorder and order in quasi-2D triangular Heisenberg antiferromagnets: comparative study of FeGa2S4, Fe2Ga2S5, and NiGa2S4

Strain-dependent magnetic ordering switching in 2D AFM ternary V-based chalcogenide monolayers

The lack of macroscopic magnetic moments makes antiferromagnetic materials promising candidates for high-speed spintronic devices. The 2D ternary V-based chalcogenides (VXYSe4; X, Y = Al, Ga) monolayers are investigated based on the density-functional theory and Monte Carlo simulations. The results reveal that the Néel temperature of the VGa2Se4 monolayer is 18 K with zigzag2-antiferromagnetic (AFM) spin ordering. Also, the magnetic ordering of V ions in VAl2Se4 and VAlGaSe4 monolayers prefer zigzag1-AFM coupling with Néel temperature of 47 K and 33 K, respectively. The magnetic anisotropy calculations demonstrate that the easy magnetization axis of the VXYSe4 monolayers is parallel to the y axis. In addition, the VXYSe4 monolayers can be adjusted from the AFM state to the ferromagnetic (FM) state under biaxial stretching, which can be attributed to the competition between d-p-d superexchange and d-d direct exchange caused by the variation of bond length. The transition temperature of VXYSe4 monolayers can be elevated above room temperature with the help of compression strain. In particular, the in-plane magnetic anisotropy is a robust characteristic regardless of the magnitude of the applied biaxial strain. These explorations not only enrich the family of AFM monolayers with excellent stability but also provide distinctive ideas for the performance control of AFM materials and their applications in nanodevices.

Layered van der Waals Chalcogenides FeAl2Se4, MnAl2S4, and MnAl2Se4: Atomically Thin Triangular Arrangement of Transition-Metal Atoms

Layered van der Waals (vdW) chalcogenides of 3d transition metals are a rich source of two-dimensional (2D) nanomaterials, in which atomically thin layers with the terminating chalcogen atoms exhibit promising functionality for novel spintronic devices. Here, we report on the synthesis, crystal growth, and magnetic properties of FeAl₂Se₄, MnAl₂S₄, and MnAl₂Se₄ ternary chalcogenides. Crystal structures are probed by powder X-ray diffraction, Mössbauer spectroscopy, and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. We improve the structural models of FeAl₂Se₄ and MnAl₂S₄ and show that isostructural MnAl₂S₄ and MnAl₂Se₄ crystallize in the centrosymmetric R3̅̅m space group. In the crystal structure, transition metal and Al atoms mutually occupy the octahedral and tetrahedral voids of four close-packing chalcogen layers terminated by vdW gaps. The transition-metal atoms form a triangular arrangement inside the close-packing layers. As a result, FeAl₂Se₄ and MnAl₂S₄ show no long-range magnetic order in the studied temperature range. In the paramagnetic state, Fe and Mn possess effective magnetic moments of 4.99(2) and 5.405(6) μ_B, respectively. Furthermore, FeAl₂Se₄ enters a frozen spin-disordered state below 12 K.

Few-Layered MnAl2S4 Dielectrics for High-Performance van der Waals Stacked Transistors

The gate dielectric layer is an important component in building a field-effect transistor. Here, we report the synthesis of a layered rhombohedral-structured MnAl₂S₄ crystal, which can be mechanically exfoliated down to the monolayer limit. The dielectric properties of few-layered MnAl₂S₄ flakes are systematically investigated, whereby they exhibit a relative dielectric constant of over 6 and an electric breakdown field of around 3.9 MV/cm. The atomically smooth thin MnAl₂S₄ flakes are then applied as a dielectric top gate layer to realize a two-dimensional van der Waals stacked field-effect transistor, which uses MoS₂ as a channel material. The fabricated transistor can be operated at a small drain-source voltage of 0.1 V and gate voltages within ranges of ±2 V, which exhibit a large on-off ratio over 10⁷ at 0.5 V and a low subthreshold swing value of 80 mV/dec. Our work demonstrates that the few-layered MnAl₂S₄ can work as a dielectric layer to realize high-performance two-dimensional transistors, and thus broadens the research on high-κ 2D materials and may provide new opportunities in developing low-dimensional electronic devices with a low power consumption in the future.

Ferromagnetic correlations in the layered van der Waals sulfide FeAl2S4

Transition metal-based layered compounds with van der Waals gaps between the adjacent layers are a source of two-dimensional (2D) nanomaterials with nontrivial transport and magnetic properties. 2D ferromagnets, both metals and semiconductors, can be leveraged to produce spin-polarized current in spintronic devices with tailored functionalities. Here, we report on the synthesis, crystal growth, crystal and electronic structure, and magnetic properties of the Fe-based FeAl₂S₄ layered sulfide. In the crystal structure, Fe and Al atoms mix on octahedral and tetrahedral sites between hexagonal layers of S atoms, which are terminated by the van der Waals gaps. Band structure calculations reveal strong electronic correlations within the semiconducting ground state, which induce ferromagnetism with the magnetic moment of 0.12μ_B per formula unit for a Hubbard interaction U = 5 eV and Hund's rule coupling J = 0.8 eV. Crystal growth employing chemical vapor transport reactions results in bulk cleavable crystals, which show paramagnetic Curie-Weiss behavior at high temperatures with the Fe²⁺ magnetic centers. At low temperatures, an anomaly is observed on the magnetic susceptibility curve, below which the magnetization shows ferromagnetic hysteresis, indicating the presence of ferromagnetic correlations in FeAl₂S₄.

Atomically Thin 2D van der Waals Magnetic Materials: Fabrications, Structure, Magnetic Properties and Applications

Two-dimensional (2D) van der Waals (vdW) magnetic materials are considered to be ideal candidates for the fabrication of spintronic devices because of their low dimensionality, allowing the quantization of electronic states and more degrees of freedom for device modulation. With the discovery of few-layer Cr2Ge2Te6 and monolayer CrI3 ferromagnets, the magnetism of 2D vdW materials is becoming a research focus in the fields of material science and physics. In theory, taking the Heisenberg model with finite-range exchange interactions as an example, low dimensionality and ferromagnetism are in competition. In other words, it is difficult for 2D materials to maintain their magnetism. However, the introduction of anisotropy in 2D magnetic materials enables the realization of long-range ferromagnetic order in atomically layered materials, which may offer new effective means for the design of 2D ferromagnets with high Curie temperature. Herein, current advances in the field of 2D vdW magnetic crystals, as well as intrinsic and induced ferromagnetism or antiferromagnetism, physical properties, device fabrication, and potential applications, are briefly summarized and discussed.

Chemistry of Quantum Spin Liquids

Quantum spin liquids are an exciting playground for exotic physical phenomena and emergent many-body quantum states. The realization and discovery of quantum spin liquid candidate materials and associated phenomena lie at the intersection of solid-state chemistry, condensed matter physics, and materials science and engineering. In this review, we provide the current status of the crystal chemistry, synthetic techniques, physical properties, and research methods in the field of quantum spin liquids. We highlight a number of specific quantum spin liquid candidate materials and their structure-property relationships, elucidating their fascinating behavior and connecting it to the intricacies of their structures. Furthermore, we share our thoughts on defects and their inevitable presence in materials, of which quantum spin liquids are no exception, which can complicate the interpretation of characterization of these materials, and urge the community to extend their attention to materials preparation and data analysis, cognizant of the impact of defects. This review was written with the intention of providing guidance on improving the materials design and growth of quantum spin liquids, and to paint a picture of the beauty of the underlying chemistry of this exciting class of materials.

Impact of the Lattice on Magnetic Properties and Possible Spin Nematicity in the S=1 Triangular Antiferromagnet NiGa_{2}S_{4}

NiGa_{2}S_{4} is a triangular lattice S=1 system with strong two dimensionality of the lattice, actively discussed as a candidate to host spin-nematic order brought about by strong quadrupole coupling. Using Raman scattering spectroscopy we identify a phonon of E_{g} symmetry which can modulate magnetic exchange J_{1} and produce quadrupole coupling. Additionally, our Raman scattering results demonstrate a loss of local inversion symmetry on cooling, which we associate with sulfur vacancies. This will lead to disordered Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interactions, which can prevent long-range magnetic order. Using magnetic Raman scattering response we identify 160 K as a temperature of an upturn of magnetic correlations. The temperature range below 160 K, but above 50 K where antiferromagnetic correlations start to increase, is a candidate for spin-nematic regime.

Spin-Orientation-Dependent Topological States in Two-Dimensional Antiferromagnetic NiTl2S4 Monolayers

The topological states of matter arising from the nontrivial magnetic configuration provide a better understanding of physical properties and functionalities of solid materials. Such studies benefit from the active control of spin orientation in any solid, which is known to take place rarely in the two-dimensional (2D) limit. Here we demonstrate by the first-principles calculations that spin-orientation-dependent topological states can appear in the geometrically frustrated monolayer antiferromagnet (AFM). Different topological states including the quantum anomalous Hall (QAH) effect and time-reversal-symmetry (TRS) broken quantum spin Hall (QSH) effect can be obtained by changing the spin orientation in the NiTl₂S₄ monolayer. Remarkably, the dilated nc-AFM NiTl₂S₄ monolayer gives birth to the QAH effect with the hitherto reported largest number of quantized conducting channels (Chern number [Formula: see text] = -4) in 2D materials. Interestingly, under tunable chemical potential, the nc-AFM NiTl₂S₄ monolayer hosts a novel state supporting the coexistence of QAH and TRS broken QSH effects with a Chern number of [Formula: see text] = 3 and a spin Chern number of [Formula: see text] = 1. This work manifests a promising concept and material realization of topological spintronics in 2D antiferromagnets by manipulating their spin degree of freedom.

Chiral spin density wave order on the frustrated honeycomb and bilayer triangle lattice hubbard model at half-filling

We study the Hubbard model on the frustrated honeycomb lattice with nearest-neighbor hopping t_{1} and second nearest-neighbor hopping t_{2}, which is isomorphic to the bilayer triangle lattice, using the SU(2)-invariant slave boson theory. We show that the Coulomb interaction U induces antiferromagnetic (AF) chiral spin density wave (χSDW) order in a wide range of κ=t_{2}/t_{1} where both the two-sublattice AF order at small κ and the decoupled three-sublattice 120° order at large κ are strongly frustrated, leading to three distinct phases with different anomalous Hall responses. We find a continuous transition from a χSDW semimetal with the anomalous Hall effect to a topological chiral Chern insulator exhibiting the quantum anomalous Hall effect, followed by a discontinuous transition to a χSDW insulator with a zero total Chern number but an anomalous ac Hall effect. The χSDW is likely a generic phase of strongly correlated and highly frustrated hexagonal lattice electrons.

Two-dimensional magnetism and spin-size effect in the S = 1 triangular antiferromagnet NiGa(2)S(4)

The triangular antiferromagnet is one of the most fundamental systems of geometrically frustrated magnets. NiGa(2)S(4) is a layered chalcogenide compound with an equilateral triangular lattice, and it is a prime candidate for an S = 1 triangular antiferromagnet. Here we focus on low temperature magnetism in NiGa(2)S(4), where quasi-static spins develop a spin-wave-like mode without forming any long-range ordering. We have studied low temperature magnetism of both polycrystalline samples and single crystals of Ni(1 - x)A(x)Ga(2)S(4) (A = Mn, Fe, Co, and Zn). A scaling law with a single energy scale of the Weiss temperature is found as an impurity effect and a hydrostatic pressure effect, providing evidence that it is in-plane interactions in the two-dimensional NiS(2) plane that drive the critical slowing down to the viscous spin liquid state at T(*) = 8.5 K and the spin-wave-like excitations of NiGa(2)S(4) that emerge below T ∼ 3 K. Furthermore, we find spin-size dependent impurity effects in the temperature dependence of the specific heat of Ni(1 - x)A(x)Ga(2)S(4). Even with a high impurity content, Zn(2+) (S = 0) and Fe(2+) (S = 2) substituted systems with weak XY anisotropy and integral spins retain the quadratic temperature dependence of the magnetic specific heat like pure NiGa(2)S(4). A spin glass-like phase, on the other hand, emerges at low temperatures with the substitution of magnetic impurities with half-odd integer spins: Ising Co(2+) (S = (3/2)) and weak XY Mn(2+) S = (5/2)) spins. This indicates that an integer size of spins is important for stabilizing the two-dimensional spin-wave-like behavior, and the unconventional spin state of NiGa(2)S(4) at low temperatures is distinct from a canonical spin glass.

Neutron-scattering measurement of incommensurate short-range order in single crystals of the S=1 triangular antiferromagnet NiGa(2)S(4)

Neutron scattering is used to investigate spin correlations in ultrapure single crystals of the S=1 triangular lattice NiGa(2)S(4). Despite a Curie-Weiss temperature of Θ(CW)=-80(2)  K, static (τ>1  ns) short-range (ξ(ab)=26(3)  Å) incommensurate order prevails for T>1.5  K. The incommensurate modulation Q(0)=(0.155(3),0.155(3),0), Θ(CW), and the spin-wave velocity (c=4400  m/s) can be accounted for by antiferromagnetic third-nearest-neighbor interactions J(3)=2.8(6)  meV and ferromagnetic nearest-neighbor coupling J(1)=-0.35(9) J(3). Interplane correlations are limited to nearest neighbors and weakened by an in-plane field. These observations show that the short-range ordered glassy phase that has been observed in a number of highly degenerate systems can persist near the clean limit.

Incommensurate phase of a triangular frustrated Heisenberg model studied via Schwinger-boson mean-field theory

We study a triangular frustrated antiferromagnetic Heisenberg model with nearest-neighbor interactions J(1) and third-nearest-neighbor interactions J(3) by means of Schwinger-boson mean-field theory. By setting an antiferromagnetic J(3) and varying J(1) from positive to negative values, we disclose the low-temperature features of its interesting incommensurate phase. The gapless dispersion of quasiparticles leads to the intrinsic T(2) law of specific heat. The magnetic susceptibility is linear in temperature. The local magnetization is significantly reduced by quantum fluctuations. We address possible relevance of these results to the low-temperature properties of NiGa(2)S(4). From a careful analysis of the incommensurate spin wavevector, the interaction parameters are estimated as J(1)≈-3.8755 K and J(3)≈14.0628 K, in order to account for the experimental data.

Spin dependent impurity effects on the 2D frustrated magnetism of NiGa2S4

Impurity effects on the triangular antiferromagnets Ni1-xMxGa2S4 (M=Mn, Fe, Co and Zn) are studied. The 2D frozen spin-disordered state of NiGa2S4 is stable against the substitution of Zn2+ (S=0) and Heisenberg Fe2+ (S=2) spins, and exhibits a T2-dependent magnetic specific heat, scaled by the Weiss temperature. In contrast, the substitutions with Co2+ (S=3/2) spin with Ising-like anisotropy and Heisenberg Mn2+ (S=5/2) spin induce a conventional spin glass phase below 1 K. From these comparisons, it is suggested that the integer size of the Heisenberg spins is important to stabilize the 2D coherent behavior observed in the frozen spin-disordered state.