Structural and Magnetic Characterization of Large Area, Free-Standing Thin Films of Magnetic Ion Intercalated Dichalcogenides Mn0.25TaS2 and Fe0.25TaS2

TL;DR

This study reports the production and detailed characterization of free-standing thin films of magnetic ion intercalated dichalcogenides, revealing their magnetic properties and potential for ultrafast dynamic measurements.

Contribution

It introduces a method to produce large-area free-standing thin films of magnetic intercalated dichalcogenides and provides their structural and magnetic characterization.

Findings

Verified unquenched orbital moment in Fe0.25TaS2

Measured quenched orbital contribution in Mn0.25TaS2

Films suitable for ultrafast X-ray and electron techniques

Abstract

Free-standing thin films of magnetic ion intercalated transition metal dichalcogenides are produced using ultramicrotoming techniques. Films of thicknesses ranging from 30nm to 250nm were achieved and characterized using transmission electron diffraction and X-ray magnetic circular dichroism. Diffraction measurements visualize the long range crystallographic ordering of the intercalated ions, while the dichroism measurements directly assess the orbital contributions to the total magnetic moment. We thus verify the unquenched orbital moment in Fe0.25TaS2 and measure the fully quenched orbital contribution in Mn0.25TaS2. Such films can be used in a wide variety of ultrafast X-ray and electron techniques that benefit from transmission geometries, and allow measurements of ultrafast structural, electronic, and magnetization dynamics in space and time.