Thickness Dependent Magnetic Transition in Few Layer 1T Phase CrTe₂

Room temperature two-dimensional (2D) ferromagnetism is highly desired in practical spintronics applications. Recently, 1T phase CrTe2 (1T-CrTe2) nanosheets with 5 and thicker layers have been successfully synthesized, which all exhibit the properties of ferromagnetic (FM) metals Curie temperatures around 305 K. However, whether therein can be maintained when continuously reducing nanosheet’s thickness to monolayer limit remains unknown. Here, through first-principles calculations, we explore evolution magnetic 1 6 layer several interesting points are found: First, unexpectedly, prefers a zigzag antiferromagnetic (AFM) state its energy much lower than that FM state. Second, 2 4 CrTe2, both intralayer interlayer coupling AFM. Last, number equal or greater 5, become FM. Such dependent magnetism provides new perspective control 2D materials.