Emergent Spin Fluctuation and Structural Metastability in Self-Intercalated Cr$_{1+x}$Te$_2$ Compounds

TL;DR

This study explores how slight variations in intercalant concentration in Cr$_{1+x}$Te$_2$ influence its magnetic properties, revealing increased Curie temperature, emergent spin fluctuations, and metastable structural states manipulable by electron irradiation.

Contribution

It demonstrates that adjusting intercalant concentration in Cr$_{1+x}$Te$_2$ can tune magnetic and structural properties, including metastable states and spin fluctuations, advancing control over vdW magnetic materials.

Findings

Increased Curie temperature with reduced Cr intercalants.

Emergent in-plane spin fluctuations observed.

Cr atoms form metastable 2×2 supercell structures.

Abstract

Intercalated van der Waals (vdW) magnetic materials host unique magnetic properties due to the interplay of competing interlayer and intralayer exchange couplings, which depend on the intercalant concentration within the van der Waals gaps. Magnetic vdW compound chromium telluride, Cr$_{1+x}$Te$_2$, has demonstrated rich magnetic phases at various Cr concentrations, such as the coexistence of ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic phases in Cr$_{1.25}$Te$_2$ (equivalently, Cr$_{5}$Te$_8$). The compound is induced by intercalating 0.25 Cr atom per unit cell within the van der Waals gaps of CrTe$_2$. In this work, we report a notably increased Curie Temperature and an emergent in-plane spin fluctuation by slightly reducing the concentration of Cr intercalants in Cr$_{1.25}$Te$_2$. Moreover, the intercalated Cr atoms form a metastable 2$\times$2 supercell structure that can be manipulated by electron beam irradiation. This work offers a promising approach to tuning magnetic and structural properties by adjusting the concentration of intercalated magnetic atoms.