Intercalation Engineering of 2D vdW Magnet Properties

Van der Waals 2D magnetic materials have emerged as a novel platform that offers unique optoelectronic, magnetic, and quantum properties.¹ Such low-dimensional spin systems have vast potential in applications such as spintronics and nanoscale magnetic devices. Therefore, the ability to engineer the structure and defects with respect to magnetic, optical, and electronic properties is critical.<br/><br/>Here, we create a structural phase transformation on an A-type antiferromagnetic 2D magnet CrSBr via electron beam irradiation inside the transmission electron microscope (TEM).² This structural phase transformation reveals vdW gaps when imaged perpendicular to the original layers. Various transition metals are then deposited, followed by imaging, to study intercalation effects through the vdW gap. These experiments are carried out using an evaporator integrated with a TEM through an ultra high vacuum environment so that oxidation of the metals can be avoided. Density functional theory calculations quantify the electronic and magnetic ground state of the engineered 2D magnet. Lastly, in-situ heating during the intercalation process is carried out to study how temperature drives such processes. We believe that property tuning via intercalation at specific locations in a 2D magnet will offer opportunities to write magnetic/electronic textures for applications such as quantum simulators.<br/><br/><br/><b>References</b><br/>1. Gibertini, M., <i>et al. Nat. Nanotechnol. </i><b>14</b>, 408-129 (2019).<br/>2. Klein, J. P., <i>et al.</i> <i>Nat. Commun</i>. <b>13</b>, 5420 (2022).