Probing magnetism in 2D van der Waals crystalline insulators via electron tunneling

Magnetic insulators are a key resource for next-generation spintronic and topological devices. The family of layered metal halides promises varied magnetic states, including ultrathin insulating multiferroics, spin liquids, and ferromagnets, but device-oriented characterization methods are needed to...

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Published in:Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science) 2018-06, Vol.360 (6394), p.1218-1222
Main Authors: Klein, D R, MacNeill, D, Lado, J L, Soriano, D, Navarro-Moratalla, E, Watanabe, K, Taniguchi, T, Manni, S, Canfield, P, Fernández-Rossier, J, Jarillo-Herrero, P
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
Electric contacts
Electric currents
Electrical junctions
Electron tunneling
Ferromagnetism
Halides
Insulators
Interlayers
Magnetic fields
Magnetism
Magnetoresistance
Magnetoresistivity
Magnons
Tunnel junctions
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Summary:Magnetic insulators are a key resource for next-generation spintronic and topological devices. The family of layered metal halides promises varied magnetic states, including ultrathin insulating multiferroics, spin liquids, and ferromagnets, but device-oriented characterization methods are needed to unlock their potential. Here, we report tunneling through the layered magnetic insulator CrI as a function of temperature and applied magnetic field. We electrically detect the magnetic ground state and interlayer coupling and observe a field-induced metamagnetic transition. The metamagnetic transition results in magnetoresistances of 95, 300, and 550% for bilayer, trilayer, and tetralayer CrI barriers, respectively. We further measure inelastic tunneling spectra for our junctions, unveiling a rich spectrum consistent with collective magnetic excitations (magnons) in CrI .
ISSN:0036-8075
1095-9203
DOI:10.1126/science.aar3617