Ferromagnetism and magnetization switching of 2D nonlayered CrTe grown by chemical vapor deposition

Abstract

Two-dimensional (2D) magnetic materials have shown potential for maintaining intrinsic magnetism and hysteresis loops, which could greatly accelerate the development pace in novel spintronic devices. Here, we report the synthesis of high-quality non-van der Waals layered CrTe structures with regulated thickness and lateral dimensions using chemical vapor deposition. The crystal structure of CrTe flakes was characterized by electron diffraction and scanning transmission electron microscopy. The magneto-optical Kerr effect microscopic analysis demonstrated that the quasi-2D CrTe flakes exhibit ferromagnetism with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy, and a magnetic domain wall was observed during the magnetization switching process. The Curie temperature (Tc) of these CrTe flakes on mica was measured to be up to 228 K using a vibrating sample magnetometer. Our work provides a platform for further exploring the magnetic properties of CrTe and promoting its potential applications in spintronic devices.