Unconventional Magnetism in Layered Transition Metal Dichalcogenides

• Main Author: Zurab Guguchia
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2020-06-01
• Series: Condensed Matter
• Subjects: transition metal dichalcogenides; magnetic semiconductor spintronics
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2410-3896/5/2/42

In this contribution to the MDPI Condensed Matter issue in Honor of Nobel Laureate Professor K.A. Müller I review recent experimental progress on magnetism of semiconducting transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) from the local-magnetic probe point of view such as muon-spin rotation and discuss prospects for the creation of unique new device concepts with these materials. TMDs are the prominent class of layered materials, that exhibit a vast range of interesting properties including unconventional semiconducting, optical, and transport behavior originating from valley splitting. Until recently, this family has been missing one crucial member: magnetic semiconductor. The situation has changed over the past few years with the discovery of layered semiconducting magnetic crystals, for example CrI<inline-formula> <math display="inline"> <semantics> <msub> <mrow></mrow> <mn>3</mn> </msub> </semantics> </math> </inline-formula> and VI<inline-formula> <math display="inline"> <semantics> <msub> <mrow></mrow> <mn>2</mn> </msub> </semantics> </math> </inline-formula>. We have also very recently discovered unconventional magnetism in semiconducting Mo-based TMD systems 2H-MoTe<inline-formula> <math display="inline"> <semantics> <msub> <mrow></mrow> <mn>2</mn> </msub> </semantics> </math> </inline-formula> and 2H-MoSe<inline-formula> <math display="inline"> <semantics> <msub> <mrow></mrow> <mn>2</mn> </msub> </semantics> </math> </inline-formula> [Guguchia et. al., <i>Science Advances</i> 2018, 4(12)]. Moreover, we also show the evidence for the involvement of magnetism in semiconducting tungsten diselenide 2H-WSe<inline-formula> <math display="inline"> <semantics> <msub> <mrow></mrow> <mn>2</mn> </msub> </semantics> </math> </inline-formula>. These results open a path to studying the interplay of 2D physics, semiconducting properties and magnetism in TMDs. It also opens up a host of new opportunities to obtain tunable magnetic semiconductors, forming the basis for spintronics.