Imprinting spin patterns by local strain control in a van der Waals antiferromagnet

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates a novel method to control and imprint spin patterns in a 2D van der Waals antiferromagnet by using local strain induced by micro-patterned substrates, enabling tailored spin textures for spintronic applications.

Contribution

The study introduces a new technique to manipulate magnetic anisotropy and spin orientation in 2D magnets through strain engineering using patterned substrates.

Findings

Strain patterning locks spin directions to substrate grooves.

Spin textures replicate substrate micro-patterns.

Method enables tailored spin configurations in 2D magnets.

Abstract

Van der Waals magnets provide opportunities for exploring low-dimensional magnetism and spintronic phenomena. The Mermin-Wagner theorem states that long-range correlations in reduced dimensions are stabilized and controlled by magnetic anisotropy. In this study, we meticulously create and control the in-plane easy-axis magnetic anisotropy within two-dimensional (2D) van der Waals antiferromagnet MnPSe3 via a novel method involving topography and therefore strain control by using a micro-patterned substrate. By transposing the MnPSe3 thin flakes onto a substrate patterned with micro-scale grooves, we introduce local uniaxial strain pattern, which not only locks the spin direction to the strain direction but also replicates the groove pattern in the spin orientation distribution. Our approach generates spin orientations that correspond to the substrate patterns, therefore having the potential to significantly advance spintronic devices by offering a unique method for manipulating and designing spin textures in easy-plane magnets.