Magnetism and magnetoelastic effect in 2D van der Waals multiferroic CuCrP2S6

TL;DR

This study investigates the magnetic properties and magnetoelastic effects in the 2D van der Waals multiferroic CuCrP2S6, revealing its ground state magnetism, field responses, and strain-tunable magnetism.

Contribution

It provides detailed magnetic characterization, clarifies the ground state magnetization, and uncovers magnetoelastic coupling in CuCrP2S6, advancing understanding of 2D multiferroics.

Findings

Ground state moments align along the b axis in A-type antiferromagnetic order.

Field induces a transition to a ferromagnetic state via in-plane spin rotation.

Magnetoelastic coupling links interlayer spacing with magnetic order.

Abstract

We report a magnetic and neutron diffraction study on the ground state magnetism and field evolution of single crystal van der Waals multiferroic CuCrP2S6. The ordered moments align along the b axis in the A-type antiferromagnetic configuration with a spin-flop transition along the same direction. Field application along a introduces a smooth transition to a fully-polarized ferromagnetic state via in-plane spin rotation. These findings resolve the ambiguity of the ground state magnetization direction in CuCrP2S6 and uncover its field responses, providing a firm basis for future magnetoelectric study. A magnetoelastic coupling effect connecting the interlayer spacing and the magnetic order was further revealed, highlighting the out-of-plane strain as an effective control knob for tuning magnetism both in this system and in related van der Waals magnets.