Tuning Magnetic Soliton Phase via Dimensional Confinement in Exfoliated 2D Cr_1/3NbS₂ Thin Flakes

Abstract

Thin flakes of Cr_1/3NbS₂ are fabricated successfully via microexfoliation techniques. Temperature-dependent and field-dependent magnetizations of thin flakes with various thicknesses are investigated. When the thickness of the flake is around several hundred nanometers, the softening and eventual disappearance of the bulk soliton peak is accompanied by the appearance of other magnetic peaks at lower magnetic fields. The emergence and annihilation of the soliton peaks are explained and simulated theoretically by the change in spin spiral number inside the soliton lattice due to dimensional confinement. Compared to the conventional magnetic states in nanoscale materials, the stability and thickness tunability of quantified spin spirals make Cr_1/3NbS₂ a potential candidate for spintronics nanodevices beyond Moore's law.