Layer-Dependent Magnetic Domains in Atomically Thin Fe₅GeTe₂

Abstract

Magnetic domain formation in two-dimensional (2D) materials gives perspectives into the fundamental origins of 2D magnetism and also motivates the development of advanced spintronics devices. However, the characterization of magnetic domains in atomically thin van der Waals (vdW) flakes remains challenging. Here, we employ X-ray photoemission electron microscopy (XPEEM) to perform layer-resolved imaging of the domain structures in the itinerant vdW ferromagnet Fe 5 GeTe 2 which shows near room temperature bulk ferromagnetism and a weak perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA). In the bulk limit, we observe the well-known labyrinth-type domains. Thinner flakes, on the other hand, are characterized by increasingly fragmented domains. While PMA is a characteristic property of Fe 5 GeTe 2 , we observe a spin-reorientation transition with the spins canting in-plane for flakes thinner than six layers. Notably, a bubble phase emerges in four-layer flakes. This thickness dependence, which clearly deviates from the single-domain behavior observed in other 2D magnetic materials, demonstrates the exciting prospect of stabilizing complex spin textures in 2D vdW magnets at relatively high temperatures.

Tunable Magnetic Domain Patterns in Thickness-Gradient Nickel Films on Flexible PDMS Substrates

“…Furthermore, the magnetic domain patterns of the Ni films on different substrates are also quite similar as shown in Figure c. It is clear that typical stripe magnetic domains are observed, which have been extensively investigated in the past decades. − We measured the magnetic domain patterns at ten different positions for each substrate, as shown in Figures S3–S5. It shows that the stripe domains at different positions are similar but their orientations are different.…”

Heteroepitaxy of 2D CuCr2Te4 with Robust Room‐temperature Ferromagnetism

“…In fact, magnetic‐domain change from stripe type to single‐type with decreasing thickness has been observed in ferromagnetic MnSb 2 Te 4 [ 33 ] and Fe 5 GeTe 2 . [ 34 ]…”

“…In fact, magnetic-domain change from stripe type to single-type with decreasing thickness has been observed in ferromagnetic MnSb 2 Te 4 [33] and Fe 5 GeTe 2 . [34] DFT calculation was adopted to understand the origin of rising T C in CuCr 2 Te 4 /Cr 2 Te 3 heterostructure. Figure 5e shows a lattice-matched Cr 2 Te 3 (0001)/ CuCr 2 Te 4 (111) parallelogram supercell.…”

Laser-induced topological spin switching in a 2D van der Waals magnet

“…Different spin textures have been previously observed in vdW magnets (e.g., Fe 3 GeTe 2 , CrCl 3 , Cr 2 Te 3 , Fe 5 GeTe 2 , CrGeTe 3 ). They range from magnetic bubbles 11,31,32 and stripe domains 33 , up to topological quasiparticles, such as skyrmions [34][35][36][37][38][39][40] and merons 2,41 , as recently summarised in the 2D Magnetic Genome 1 . These evidences provide a broad territory for exploration either in more fundamental levels or in functional applications where the control of spin textures in device platforms is the ultimate step.…”