Ising-Type Magnetic Ordering in Atomically Thin FePS3

TL;DR

This study demonstrates that monolayer FePS3 exhibits intrinsic Ising-type antiferromagnetic order with a transition temperature around 118 K, unaffected by layer thickness, highlighting its potential for 2D magnetic applications.

Contribution

It provides experimental evidence of intrinsic antiferromagnetic order in atomically thin FePS3, confirming theoretical predictions and extending understanding of 2D magnetism.

Findings

FePS3 shows intrinsic antiferromagnetic order down to monolayer.

Transition temperature remains ~118 K regardless of thickness.

Weak interlayer interactions have minimal effect on magnetic ordering.

Abstract

Magnetism in two-dimensional materials is not only of fundamental scientific interest but also a promising candidate for numerous applications. However, studies so far, especially the experimental ones, have been mostly limited to the magnetism arising from defects, vacancies, edges or chemical dopants which are all extrinsic effects. Here, we report on the observation of intrinsic antiferromagnetic ordering in the two-dimensional limit. By monitoring the Raman peaks that arise from zone folding due to antiferromagnetic ordering at the transition temperature, we demonstrate that FePS3 exhibits an Ising-type antiferromagnetic ordering down to the monolayer limit, in good agreement with the Onsager solution for two-dimensional order-disorder transition. The transition temperature remains almost independent of the thickness from bulk to the monolayer limit with TN ~118 K, indicating that the weak interlayer interaction has little effect on the antiferromagnetic ordering.