Emergence of Local Magnetic Moment in Ternary TaWSe2 Single Crystal via Atomic Clustering

Nguyen Huu Lam; Md Nurul Huda; Kisung Kang; Jae Hyeok Ko; Zheng Gai; Yeong Gwang Khim; Young Jun Chang; Youngsu Choi; Kwang Yong Choi; Ganbat Duvjir; Nguyen Hoang Dang; Aloysius Soon; Jewook Park; Jungdae Kim

doi:10.1002/adfm.202507738

Emergence of Local Magnetic Moment in Ternary TaWSe₂ Single Crystal via Atomic Clustering

Nguyen Huu Lam, Md Nurul Huda, Kisung Kang, Jae Hyeok Ko, Zheng Gai, Yeong Gwang Khim, Young Jun Chang, Youngsu Choi, Kwang Yong Choi, Ganbat Duvjir, Nguyen Hoang Dang, Aloysius Soon, Jewook Park, Jungdae Kim

Scanning Tunneling Microscopy Group

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Ternary transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) provide a versatile platform to explore novel electronic and magnetic ground states via compositional substitution and local structural modulations. Using a combination of scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy (STM/S), magnetic property measurements, and density functional theory (DFT) calculations, the emergence of local magnetic moments driven by the clustering of Ta atoms in ternary TaWSe₂ single crystals is analyzed. STM topography reveals triangular clusters of Ta atoms embedded within W-rich regions of TaWSe₂. These clusters exhibit a consistent shape and an orderly arrangement throughout the surfaces. DFT calculations show that these Ta clusters induce local strain, giving rise to localized magnetic moments. The magnetic behavior is further corroborated by temperature-dependent magnetization measurements, which exhibit a magnetic anomaly at ∼50 K. This study offers a pathway to engineer magnetism in TMD systems with potential applications in spintronic and quantum materials.

Original language	English
Journal	Advanced Functional Materials
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.202507738
State	Accepted/In press - 2025

Funding

N.H.L., M.N.H., and K.K. contributed equally to this study. This work was supported by National Research Foundation (NRF) grants funded by the Korean government (NRF\u20102019R1A6A1A11053838, RS\u20102024\u201000334854, and RS\u20102024\u201000468995). Low temperature (4.5 K) STM and magnetic property measurements were supported by the Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences (CNMS), which is a US Department of Energy, Office of Science User Facility at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. X\u2010ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) measurements were supported by the UOS Center for Research Facilities.

Keywords

DFT
magnetism
STM
strain
Ta clustering
TaWSe

Access to Document

10.1002/adfm.202507738

Cite this

@article{91614d814a994e8eb951e9ca4b48061c,

title = "Emergence of Local Magnetic Moment in Ternary TaWSe2 Single Crystal via Atomic Clustering",

abstract = "Ternary transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) provide a versatile platform to explore novel electronic and magnetic ground states via compositional substitution and local structural modulations. Using a combination of scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy (STM/S), magnetic property measurements, and density functional theory (DFT) calculations, the emergence of local magnetic moments driven by the clustering of Ta atoms in ternary TaWSe2 single crystals is analyzed. STM topography reveals triangular clusters of Ta atoms embedded within W-rich regions of TaWSe2. These clusters exhibit a consistent shape and an orderly arrangement throughout the surfaces. DFT calculations show that these Ta clusters induce local strain, giving rise to localized magnetic moments. The magnetic behavior is further corroborated by temperature-dependent magnetization measurements, which exhibit a magnetic anomaly at ∼50 K. This study offers a pathway to engineer magnetism in TMD systems with potential applications in spintronic and quantum materials.",

keywords = "DFT, magnetism, STM, strain, Ta clustering, TaWSe",

author = "Lam, \{Nguyen Huu\} and Huda, \{Md Nurul\} and Kisung Kang and Ko, \{Jae Hyeok\} and Zheng Gai and Khim, \{Yeong Gwang\} and Chang, \{Young Jun\} and Youngsu Choi and Choi, \{Kwang Yong\} and Ganbat Duvjir and Dang, \{Nguyen Hoang\} and Aloysius Soon and Jewook Park and Jungdae Kim",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2025 Wiley-VCH GmbH.",

year = "2025",

doi = "10.1002/adfm.202507738",

language = "English",

journal = "Advanced Functional Materials",

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T1 - Emergence of Local Magnetic Moment in Ternary TaWSe2 Single Crystal via Atomic Clustering

AU - Lam, Nguyen Huu

AU - Huda, Md Nurul

AU - Kang, Kisung

AU - Ko, Jae Hyeok

AU - Gai, Zheng

AU - Khim, Yeong Gwang

AU - Chang, Young Jun

AU - Choi, Youngsu

AU - Choi, Kwang Yong

AU - Duvjir, Ganbat

AU - Dang, Nguyen Hoang

AU - Soon, Aloysius

AU - Park, Jewook

AU - Kim, Jungdae

PY - 2025

Y1 - 2025

N2 - Ternary transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) provide a versatile platform to explore novel electronic and magnetic ground states via compositional substitution and local structural modulations. Using a combination of scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy (STM/S), magnetic property measurements, and density functional theory (DFT) calculations, the emergence of local magnetic moments driven by the clustering of Ta atoms in ternary TaWSe2 single crystals is analyzed. STM topography reveals triangular clusters of Ta atoms embedded within W-rich regions of TaWSe2. These clusters exhibit a consistent shape and an orderly arrangement throughout the surfaces. DFT calculations show that these Ta clusters induce local strain, giving rise to localized magnetic moments. The magnetic behavior is further corroborated by temperature-dependent magnetization measurements, which exhibit a magnetic anomaly at ∼50 K. This study offers a pathway to engineer magnetism in TMD systems with potential applications in spintronic and quantum materials.

AB - Ternary transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) provide a versatile platform to explore novel electronic and magnetic ground states via compositional substitution and local structural modulations. Using a combination of scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy (STM/S), magnetic property measurements, and density functional theory (DFT) calculations, the emergence of local magnetic moments driven by the clustering of Ta atoms in ternary TaWSe2 single crystals is analyzed. STM topography reveals triangular clusters of Ta atoms embedded within W-rich regions of TaWSe2. These clusters exhibit a consistent shape and an orderly arrangement throughout the surfaces. DFT calculations show that these Ta clusters induce local strain, giving rise to localized magnetic moments. The magnetic behavior is further corroborated by temperature-dependent magnetization measurements, which exhibit a magnetic anomaly at ∼50 K. This study offers a pathway to engineer magnetism in TMD systems with potential applications in spintronic and quantum materials.

KW - DFT

KW - magnetism

KW - STM

KW - strain

KW - Ta clustering

KW - TaWSe

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