Physical Vapor Transport Growth of Antiferromagnetic CrCl3 Flakes Down to Monolayer Thickness

Abstract The van der Waals magnets CrX3 (X = I, Br, and Cl) exhibit highly tunable magnetic properties and are promising candidates for developing novel two‐dimensional (2D) spintronic devices such as magnetic tunnel junctions and spin tunneling transistors. Previous studies of the antiferromagnetic...

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Main Authors: Jia Wang, Zahra Ahmadi, David Lujan, Jeongheon Choe, Takashi Taniguchi, Kenji Watanabe, Xiaoqin Li, Jeffrey E. Shield, Xia Hong
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2023-01-01
Series:Advanced Science
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1002/advs.202203548
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author Jia Wang
Zahra Ahmadi
David Lujan
Jeongheon Choe
Takashi Taniguchi
Kenji Watanabe
Xiaoqin Li
Jeffrey E. Shield
Xia Hong
author_facet Jia Wang
Zahra Ahmadi
David Lujan
Jeongheon Choe
Takashi Taniguchi
Kenji Watanabe
Xiaoqin Li
Jeffrey E. Shield
Xia Hong
author_sort Jia Wang
collection DOAJ
description Abstract The van der Waals magnets CrX3 (X = I, Br, and Cl) exhibit highly tunable magnetic properties and are promising candidates for developing novel two‐dimensional (2D) spintronic devices such as magnetic tunnel junctions and spin tunneling transistors. Previous studies of the antiferromagnetic CrCl3 have mainly focused on mechanically exfoliated samples. Controlled synthesis of high quality atomically thin flakes is critical for their technological implementation but has not been achieved to date. This work reports the growth of large CrCl3 flakes down to monolayer thickness via the physical vapor transport technique. Both isolated flakes with well‐defined facets and long stripe samples with the trilayer portion exceeding 60 µm have been obtained. High‐resolution transmission electron microscopy studies show that the CrCl3 flakes are single crystalline in the monoclinic structure, consistent with the Raman results. The room temperature stability of the CrCl3 flakes decreases with decreasing thickness. The tunneling magnetoresistance of graphite/CrCl3/graphite tunnel junctions confirms that few‐layer CrCl3 possesses in‐plane magnetic anisotropy and Néel temperature of 17 K. This study paves the path for developing CrCl3‐based scalable 2D spintronic applications.
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spelling doaj.art-1d7d348e7dcd4b5f877095641b6b64cd2023-01-25T13:47:49ZengWileyAdvanced Science2198-38442023-01-01103n/an/a10.1002/advs.202203548Physical Vapor Transport Growth of Antiferromagnetic CrCl3 Flakes Down to Monolayer ThicknessJia Wang0Zahra Ahmadi1David Lujan2Jeongheon Choe3Takashi Taniguchi4Kenji Watanabe5Xiaoqin Li6Jeffrey E. Shield7Xia Hong8Department of Physics and Astronomy & Nebraska Center for Materials and Nanoscience University of Nebraska‐Lincoln Lincoln NE 68588‐0299 USADepartment of Mechanical and Materials Engineering University of Nebraska‐Lincoln Lincoln NE 68588‐2526 USADepartment of Physics University of Texas at Austin Austin TX 78712‐1192 USADepartment of Physics University of Texas at Austin Austin TX 78712‐1192 USAInternational Center for Materials Nanoarchitectonics National Institute for Materials Science 1‐1 Namiki Tsukuba Ibaraki 305‐0044 JapanResearch Center for Functional Materials National Institute for Materials Science 1‐1 Namiki Tsukuba Ibaraki 305‐0044 JapanDepartment of Physics University of Texas at Austin Austin TX 78712‐1192 USADepartment of Mechanical and Materials Engineering University of Nebraska‐Lincoln Lincoln NE 68588‐2526 USADepartment of Physics and Astronomy & Nebraska Center for Materials and Nanoscience University of Nebraska‐Lincoln Lincoln NE 68588‐0299 USAAbstract The van der Waals magnets CrX3 (X = I, Br, and Cl) exhibit highly tunable magnetic properties and are promising candidates for developing novel two‐dimensional (2D) spintronic devices such as magnetic tunnel junctions and spin tunneling transistors. Previous studies of the antiferromagnetic CrCl3 have mainly focused on mechanically exfoliated samples. Controlled synthesis of high quality atomically thin flakes is critical for their technological implementation but has not been achieved to date. This work reports the growth of large CrCl3 flakes down to monolayer thickness via the physical vapor transport technique. Both isolated flakes with well‐defined facets and long stripe samples with the trilayer portion exceeding 60 µm have been obtained. High‐resolution transmission electron microscopy studies show that the CrCl3 flakes are single crystalline in the monoclinic structure, consistent with the Raman results. The room temperature stability of the CrCl3 flakes decreases with decreasing thickness. The tunneling magnetoresistance of graphite/CrCl3/graphite tunnel junctions confirms that few‐layer CrCl3 possesses in‐plane magnetic anisotropy and Néel temperature of 17 K. This study paves the path for developing CrCl3‐based scalable 2D spintronic applications.https://doi.org/10.1002/advs.202203548CrCl3physical vapor transporttunnel junctiontunneling magnetoresistancevan der Waals magnet
spellingShingle Jia Wang
Zahra Ahmadi
David Lujan
Jeongheon Choe
Takashi Taniguchi
Kenji Watanabe
Xiaoqin Li
Jeffrey E. Shield
Xia Hong
Physical Vapor Transport Growth of Antiferromagnetic CrCl3 Flakes Down to Monolayer Thickness
Advanced Science
CrCl3
physical vapor transport
tunnel junction
tunneling magnetoresistance
van der Waals magnet
title Physical Vapor Transport Growth of Antiferromagnetic CrCl3 Flakes Down to Monolayer Thickness
title_full Physical Vapor Transport Growth of Antiferromagnetic CrCl3 Flakes Down to Monolayer Thickness
title_fullStr Physical Vapor Transport Growth of Antiferromagnetic CrCl3 Flakes Down to Monolayer Thickness
title_full_unstemmed Physical Vapor Transport Growth of Antiferromagnetic CrCl3 Flakes Down to Monolayer Thickness
title_short Physical Vapor Transport Growth of Antiferromagnetic CrCl3 Flakes Down to Monolayer Thickness
title_sort physical vapor transport growth of antiferromagnetic crcl3 flakes down to monolayer thickness
topic CrCl3
physical vapor transport
tunnel junction
tunneling magnetoresistance
van der Waals magnet
url https://doi.org/10.1002/advs.202203548
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