Itinerant A-type Antiferromagnetic Order in Co$_{0.25}$TaSe$_2$

TL;DR

This study reveals that Co$_{0.25}$TaSe$_2$ exhibits A-type antiferromagnetic order below 173 K with moments aligned along the c-axis, and shows a weak ferromagnetic component in the ab-plane, expanding understanding of magnetic intercalation in TMDs.

Contribution

The paper reports the discovery of A-type antiferromagnetic order in Co$_{0.25}$TaSe$_2$, including detailed magnetic structure and moment size, which is a novel insight into magnetic intercalation in transition metal dichalcogenides.

Findings

Antiferromagnetic transition at 173 K.

Magnetic moments aligned along the c-axis.

Presence of a weak ferromagnetic component in the ab-plane.

Abstract

We present the magnetic behavior and resulting transport properties of TaSe$_2$ when intercalated by magnetically active cobalt cations. Acting as the layered host, TaSe$_2$ is a transition metal dichalcogenide (TMD) that adopts the 2H-polytype. We find through our single crystal and powder diffraction studies that we can prepare the stoichiometry Co$_{0.25}$TaSe$_2$, which crystallizes in the centrosymmetric space group $P6_3/mmc$. From magnetic susceptibility and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurements, we find a transition consistent with antiferromagnetic order below the temperature $T_N$ = 173 K and Co$^{2+}$ in the high-spin state. Neutron powder diffraction and specific heat measurements, however, point to a much smaller than anticipated ordered moment in this sample. From the neutron results, the magnetic structure can be described as an A-type antiferromagnet with an ordered moment size of 1.35(11) $\mu_B$ per Co cation. The direction of the moments are all long the c-axis, which is consistent with the magnetization and susceptibility studies showing this direction to be the easy axis. Interestingly, we find that a weak and subtle ferromagnetic component appears to exist along the $ab$-plane of the Co$_{0.25}$TaSe$_2$ crystals. We place the results of this work in the context of other magnetic-ion intercalated TMDs, especially those of Ta and Nb.