Intrinsic Magnetism and Field‐Driven Spin Alignment in NiI <sub>2</sub> Revealed by X‐ray Magnetic Spectroscopy
This study investigates the intrinsic magnetism and field‐driven spin alignment in NiI 2 using X‐ray absorption spectroscopy and X‐ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD). NiI 2 , a van der Waals material, exhibits helimagnetic and type‐II multiferroic behavior. This study reveals robust XMCD signals across paramagnetic, antiferromagnetic, and helimagnetic phases under applied out‐of‐plane fields up to 6 T, while no net moment emerges at zero field. Atomic multiplet calculations confirm a covalent Ni 3 d ground state with a significantly reduced spin moment. The results establish the intrinsic nature of NiI 2 's magnetism and clarify its field‐driven spin alignment mechanism. This comprehensive spectroscopic characterization lays the foundation for future applications of NiI 2 in advanced spintronic and multiferroic devices, despite challenges posed by its low transition temperature in the monolayer limit. Future research should focus on enhancing its critical temperature through doping, strain engineering, or heterostructure fabrication.
Authors
- Rabindra Basnet (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5511-3155)
- T. Hesjedal (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7947-3692)
- Emily Heppell (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3977-4623)
- Yanfeng Guo (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9386-4857)
- Jieyi Liu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6588-5987)
- B. H. Zhang
- Hu Jin (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8657-5686)
- Ethan L. Arnold
- D. Backes (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1019-3323)
- Javier Herrero‐Martín (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1986-8128)
- G. van der Laan (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6852-2495)
- Charles Guillemard (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3347-0047)
Institutions
- Rutherford Appleton Laboratory (GB)
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (FR)
- ALBA Synchrotron (Spain) (ES)
- Diamond Light Source (GB)
- ShanghaiTech University (CN)
- University of Oxford (GB)
- Centre Interdisciplinaire de Nanoscience de Marseille (FR)
- University of Arkansas at Fayetteville (US)
Publication Details
- Journal
- physica status solidi (RRL) - Rapid Research Letters
- Published
- 2025-06-20
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1002/pssr.202500130
- Primary Topic
- 2D Materials and Applications
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00
Funders
- National Science Foundation
- Diamond Light Source
- ShanghaiTech University
- Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council
- Science and Technology Facilities Council
- Division of Materials Research