A Three-Stage Magnetic Phase Transition Revealed in Ultrahigh-Quality van der Waals Bulk Magnet CrSBr

van der Waals (vdW) magnets are receiving ever-growing attention nowadays due to their significance in both fundamental research on low-dimensional magnetism and potential applications in spintronic devices. The high crystalline quality of vdW magnets is the key to maintaining intrinsic magnetic and electronic properties, especially when exfoliated down to the two-dimensional limit. Here, ultrahigh-quality air-stable vdW CrSBr crystals are synthesized using the direct solid-vapor synthesis method. The high single crystallinity and spatial homogeneity have been thoroughly evidenced at length scales from submm to atomic resolution by X-ray diffraction, second harmonic generation, and scanning transmission electron microscopy. More importantly, specific heat measurements of ultrahigh-quality CrSBr crystals show three thermodynamic anomalies at 185, 156, and 132 K, revealing a stage-by-stage development of the magnetic order upon cooling, which is also corroborated with the magnetization and transport results. Our ultrahigh-quality CrSBr can further be exfoliated down to monolayers and bilayers easily, providing the building blocks of heterostructures for spintronic and magneto-optoelectronic applications.

Automated summary

Researchers have successfully synthesized high-quality vdW CrSBr crystals and confirmed their high crystalline and spatial homogeneity. Specific heat measurements have revealed thermodynamic anomalies at different temperatures, further validating the stage-by-stage development of magnetic order. Additionally, the researchers have found that these crystals can be easily exfoliated into monolayers and bilayers, providing building blocks for spintronic and magneto-optoelectronic applications.