The magnetostructural coupling between the structural and the magnetic transition has a crucial role in magnetoresponsive effects in a martensitic-transition system. A combination of various magnetoresponsive effects based on this coupling may facilitate the multifunctional applications of a host material. Here we demonstrate the feasibility of obtaining a stable magnetostructural coupling over a broad temperature window from 350 to 70 K, in combination with tunable magnetoresponsive effects, in mnniGe:Fe alloys. The alloy exhibits a magneticfield-induced martensitic transition from paramagnetic austenite to ferromagnetic martensite. The results indicate that stable magnetostructural coupling is accessible in hexagonal phasetransition systems to attain the magnetoresponsive effects with broad tunability.

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van der Waals (vdW) magnetic insulators are of significance in both fundamental research and technological application, but most two-dimensional (2D) vdW magnetic systems are unstable and of high lattice symmetry. Stable 2D vdW magnetic insulators with anisotropic structure are needed to modulate the properties and unlock potential applications. Here we present a stable vdW antiferromagnetic material, CrOCl, with low-symmetry orthorhombic structure, and investigate systematically its magnetism, phase transition behavior, and optical anisotropy. Spin–phonon coupling effects are uncovered by the abnormal frequency shifts of Raman-active modes, suggesting the formation of a magnetic superstructure. The sizable abnormal change of interplanar spacing indicates the presence of a structural transition at around 27 K. Further in-plane vibrational, reflectional, and absorptional anisotropic properties are explored both experimentally and theoretically, revealing a highly polarization sensitive characteristic and linear dichroism in 2D CrOCl. Meanwhile, the particularly high polarization dependency of the second-harmonic generation and the nonlinear susceptibility of ∼2.24 × 10–11 m/V make it suitable in the field of polarization-dependent nonlinear optics. The findings on the intricate properties of 2D CrOCl lay foundations for future applications of low-symmetry vdW magnets in spin-dependent electronic and optoelectronic devices.

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Vertically stacked van der Waals (vdW) heterojunctions based on two-dimensional (2D) transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) have attracted a great deal of attention and have created a powerful new material platform for novel, high-performance electronic and optoelectronic devices. Here, we report the construction of multilayer p-MoTe/n-MoS vdW heterostructures with remarkable rectification behavior, self-powered photoresponse and distinct photosensitivity at different laser wavelengths and power densities. Field effect transistors (FETs) fabricated by MoTe/MoS heterojunctions exhibit excellent gate-tunable rectification behavior and p-n junction transport characteristics, with the n-type dominating. The MoTe/MoS heterojunction devices generate a self-powered photocurrent at zero bias voltage with a considerable on-off ratio reaching ∼780 and achieve a stable and fast photoresponse, due to the type-II band alignment facilitating efficient electron-hole separation. Utilizing the advantages of a p-n junction with type-II band alignment, this MoTe/MoS vdW heterostructure provides more opportunities for future electronic and optoelectronic applications.

A high-temperature shape-memory alloy, Ni54Mn25Ga21, was developed with a shape-memory effect of 6.1% and a martensitic transformation temperature higher than 250 °C for single crystals. The measured compressive strength and strain were 845 MPa and 20.5%, respectively, with a compressive axis along the growth direction of the rods at room temperature. One thousand thermal cycles were performed on the Ni54Mn25Ga21 without obvious changes of the martensitic structure, transformation behavior, and shape-memory effect, indicating an excellent thermal stability for the present alloy.

Search for transformation from paramagnetic martensite to ferromagnetic austenite in ferromagnetic shape memory alloys is performed through designing NiMnGaCu alloys. The composition dependence of the martensitic transformation temperature TM, the magnetic transition temperatures TCA of the austenite and TCM of the martensite is systematically investigated. The sequence of the martensitic transformation and magnetic transition is determined. The diagram on the structural and magnetic transition in a specific system Ni46Mn25+xGa25−xCu4 is outlined, in which a transformation from paramagnetic martensite to ferromagnetic austenite is predicted, exhibiting TCM<TM<TCA. Such a transformation is then experimentally achieved in Ni46Mn33Ga17Cu4 alloy.