Synthesis, Engineering, and Theory of 2D van der Waals Magnets

TL;DR

This review covers recent advances in the synthesis, engineering, and theoretical understanding of 2D van der Waals magnets, highlighting their emergence and potential for future research in 2D magnetic materials.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive overview of the current state, challenges, and future directions in the field of 2D vdW magnetic materials, integrating synthesis, engineering, and theory.

Findings

First examples of 2D vdW magnets with magnetic order

Discussion of synthesis and engineering techniques

Identification of challenges and future research directions

Abstract

Spontaneous magnetic order is a routine instance in three-dimensional (3D) materials but for a long time, it remained elusive in the 2D world. Recently, the first examples of (stand-alone) 2D van der Waals (vdW) crystals with magnetic order, either antiferromagnetic or ferromagnetic, have been reported. In this review, we describe the state of the art of the nascent field of magnetic 2D materials focusing on synthesis, engineering, and theory aspects. We also discuss challenges and some of the many different promising directions for future work.