Large separations between ground and excited magnetic states in single‐molecule magnets (SMMs) are desirable to reduce the likelihood of spin reversal in the molecules. Spin‐phonon coupling is a process leading to magnetic relaxation. Both the reversal and coupling, making SMMs lose magnetic moments, are undesirable. However, direct determination of large magnetic states separations (>45 cm−1) is challenging, and few detailed investigations of the spin‐phonon coupling have been conducted. The magnetic separation in [Co(12‐crown‐4)2](I3)2(12‐crown‐4) (1) is determined and its spin‐phonon coupling is probed by inelastic neutron scattering (INS) and far‐IR spectroscopy. INS, using oriented single crystals, shows a magnetic transition at 49.4(1.0) cm−1. Far‐IR reveals that the magnetic transition and nearby phonons are coupled, a rarely observed phenomenon, with spin‐phonon coupling constants of 1.7–2.5 cm−1. The current work spectroscopically determines the ground–excited magnetic states separation in an SMM and quantifies its spin‐phonon coupling, shedding light on the process causing magnetic relaxation.
Lateral heterostructures of two-dimensional (2D) materials, integrating different phases or materials into a single piece of nanosheet, have attracted intensive research interests for electronic devices. Extending the 2D lateral heterostructures to spintronics demands more diverse electromagnetic properties of 2D materials. In this paper, using density functional theory calculations, we survey all IV, V, and VI group transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) and discover that CrS2 has the most diverse electronic and magnetic properties: antiferromagnetic (AFM) metallic 1T phase, non-magnetic (NM) semiconductor 2H phase, and ferromagnetic (FM) semiconductor 1T′ phase with a Curie temperature of ~1000 K. Interestingly, we find that a tensile or compressive strain can turn the 1T′ phase into a spin-up or spin-down half-metal. Such strain tunability can be attributed to the lattice deformation under tensile/compressive strain that selectively promotes the spin-up/spin-down VBM (valence band bottom) orbital interactions. The diverse electromagnetic properties and the strain tunability enable strain-controlled spintronic devices using a single piece of CrS2 nanosheet with improved energy efficiency. As a demo, a prototypical design of the spin-valve logic device is presented. It offers a promising solution to address the challenge of high energy consumption in miniaturized spintronic devices.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.