Abstract
The magnetic properties of the quasi-two-dimensional van der Waals magnet Fe5-δGeTe2 (F5GT), which has a high ferromagnetic ordering temperature TC∼315 K, remain to be better understood. It has been demonstrated that the magnetization of F5GT is sensitive to both the Fe deficiency δ and the thermal-cycling history. Here, we investigate the structural and magnetic properties of F5GT single crystals with a minimal Fe deficiency (|δ|≤0.1), utilizing combined x-ray and neutron scattering techniques. Our study reveals that the quenched F5GT single crystals experience an irreversible, first-order transition at TS∼110 K upon first cooling, where the stacking order partly or entirely converts from ABC-stacking order to AA-stacking order. Importantly, the magnetic properties, including the magnetic moment direction and the enhanced TC after the thermal cycling, are intimately related to the alteration of the stacking order. Our work highlights the significant influence of the lattice symmetry to the magnetism in F5GT.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 044411 |
| Journal | Physical Review Materials |
| Volume | 7 |
| Issue number | 4 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Apr 2023 |
Funding
Work at the University of California, Berkeley, and the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory was funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, Office of Basic Energy Sciences, Materials Sciences and Engineering Division, under Contract No. DE-AC02-05-CH11231 within the Quantum Materials Program (KC2202). This work is based upon research conducted at the Center for High Energy X-ray Sciences (CHEXS) which is supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. DMR-1829070. A portion of this research used resources at the High Flux Isotope Reactor, which is a DOE Office of Science User Facility operated by Oak Ridge National Laboratory.