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Research Highlight

Interlayer Magnetism in Fe3-xGeTe2

Interlayer Magnetism in Fe3-xGeTe2
(a) Ferromagnetic interlayer ordering in Fe3GeTe2. (b) Neutron powder diffraction of Fe2.9GeTe2. (c) Experimental scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) image where dark regions correspond to Fe-II vacancies.
(d) STM simulation without electron interaction correction. (e) STM simulation with electron interaction correction.

Scientific Achievement

Resolved the interlayer ferromagnetic ordering in the van der Waals layered material, Fe3-xGeTe2.

Significance and Impact

Interlayer magnetic ordering controls many physical properties such as topology, magnetoresistance, piezoelectricity, and second harmonic generation.

Research Details

- Interlayer ordering is shown to be ferromagnetic based on neutron diffraction, scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), spin-polarized STM measurements, and density functional theory calculations.

- Fe3-xGeTe2 is a quasi 2D magnet with a relatively high transition temperature and a large anisotropy hosting intriguing properties, including skyrmionic bubbles and topological nodal lines. 

X. Kong, G. D. Nguyen, J. Lee, C. Lee, S. Calder, A. F. May, Z. Gai, A.-P. Li, L. Liang, and  T. Berlijn, "Interlayer Magnetism in Fe3-xGeTe2," Phys. Rev. Materials 4, 094403 (2020).  DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevMaterials.4.094403