Materials beyond monolayers: The magnetic quasi-1D semiconductor CrSBr

Abstract

The all-surface nature of atomically thin van der Waals materials can present challenges for practical applications. Fortunately, new layered materials are on the horizon that preserve their useful properties even when thicker than a monolayer. Here, we summarize our interest in one of these emergent materials, the magnetic semiconductor CrSBr. We describe monolayer properties exhibited by this material in its bulk form, discussing how the quasi-1D electronic structure of CrSBr allows mono- or bilayer physics to be displayed even in thick crystals. Long-range magnetic order offers additional tuning with the coupled lattice, spin, orbit, and charge degrees of freedom enabling magneto-correlated phenomena. We discuss the stability of CrSBr in air and show atomic scale structural manipulation through electron beam-driven transformations. We conclude that the stability and structural amenability of CrSBr provide opportunities for imagining devices that use bulk crystals yet exploit unique magnetic and quantum confinement effects.