Magnetism in MoS2 induced by MeV proton irradiation

TL;DR

This study demonstrates that MeV proton irradiation induces room-temperature ferrimagnetism in MoS2, a material normally diamagnetic, with detailed analysis of its magnetic and structural changes.

Contribution

It reveals that high-energy proton irradiation can induce magnetic ordering in MoS2, a novel approach to modify its magnetic properties.

Findings

Magnetization shows ferrimagnetic behavior at 895 K

Raman and XPS detect disorder and higher Mo valence post-irradiation

Proton irradiation induces room-temperature magnetism in MoS2

Abstract

Molybdenum disulphide, a diamagnetic layered dichalcogenide solid, is found to show magnetic ordering at room temperature when exposed to a 2 MeV proton beam. The temperature dependence of magnetization displays ferrimagnetic behavior with a Curie temperature of 895 K. A disorder mode corresponding to a zone-edge phonon and a Mo valence higher than +4, have been detected in the irradiated samples using Raman and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, respectively. The possible origins of long-range magnetic ordering in irradiated MoS2 samples are discussed.