Viewpoint: on the emergence of van der Waals magnets: a personal reflection

The observation of magnetism in atomically thin van der Waals (vdW) antiferromagnets (FePS₃, NiPS₃, and MnPS₃) in 2016 marked an important moment in the development of two-dimensional physics. In this personal reflection, I describe how a simple question, posed in the early 2010s, motivated experimental efforts that culminated in the demonstration of antiferromagnetic order in monolayer FePS₃. Alongside subsequent reports of vdW ferromagnets in 2017, these developments helped establish intrinsic magnetism as a viable degree of freedom in atomically thin materials. I close with personal lessons drawn from this period and a perspective on the opportunities that now shape the field's second decade and beyond.