Multiple antiferromagnetic phases and magnetic anisotropy in exfoliated CrBr${}_3$ multilayers

Abstract

In twisted two-dimensional (2D) magnets, the stacking dependence of the magnetic exchange interaction can lead to regions of ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic interlayer order, separated by non-collinear, skyrmion-like spin textures. Recent experimental searches for these textures have focused on CrI${}_3$, known to exhibit either ferromagnetic or antiferromagnetic interlayer order, depending on layer stacking. However, the very strong uniaxial anisotropy of CrI${}_3$ disfavors smooth non-collinear phases in twisted bilayers. Here, we report the experimental observation of three distinct magnetic phases -- one ferromagnetic and two antiferromagnetic -- in exfoliated CrBr${}_3$ multilayers, and reveal that the uniaxial anisotropy is significantly smaller than in CrI${}_3$. These results are obtained by magnetoconductance measurements on CrBr${}_3$ tunnel barriers and Raman spectroscopy, in conjunction with density functional theory calculations, which enable us to identify the stackings responsible for the different interlayer magnetic couplings. The detection of all locally stable magnetic states predicted to exist in CrBr${}_3$ and the excellent agreement found between theory and experiments, provide complete information on the stacking-dependent interlayer exchange energy and establish twisted bilayer CrBr${}_3$ as an ideal system to deterministically create non-collinear magnetic phases.

References in corpus (12)

• Quantum ESPRESSO: a modular and open-source software project for quantum simulations of materials
• Advanced capabilities for materials modelling with Quantum ESPRESSO
• A Higher-Accuracy van der Waals Density Functional
• Magnetic 2D materials and heterostructures
• Fast pick up technique for high quality heterostructures of bilayer graphene and hexagonal boron nitride
• Truncation of Periodic Image Interactions for Confined Systems
• Evolution of interlayer and intralayer magnetism in three atomically thin chromium trihalides
• VI3 - a new layered ferromagnetic semiconductor
• Magnetization textures in twisted bilayer 2D CrX${}_3$ (X=Br, I)
• Moiré-driven multiferroic order in twisted CrCl${}_3$, CrBr${}_3$ and CrI${}_3$ bilayers
• Structural Monoclinicity and Its Coupling to Layered Magnetism in Few-Layer $\mathrm{Cr}{\mathrm{I}}_3$
• Revealing the Underlying Mechanisms of Stacking Order and Interlayer Magnetism in Bilayer CrBr${}_3$

Cited by in corpus (7)

• Switching on and off the spin polarization of the conduction band in antiferromagnetic bilayer transistors
• Magnetic Anisotropy in Two-dimensional van der Waals Magnetic Materials and Their Heterostructures: Importance, Mechanisms, and Opportunities
• Moire magnetism in CrBr3 multilayers emerging from differential strain
• Imaging strain-controlled magnetic reversal in thin CrSBr
• Enhanced magnetoelectric coupling in two-dimensional hybrid multiferroic heterostructures
• Resonant Raman Scattering of Few Layers CrBr${}_3$
• Bias Voltage Driven Tunneling Magnetoresistance Polarity Reversal in 2D Stripy Antiferromagnet CrOCl