Magnon dispersion and spin transport in CrCl$_3$ bilayers under different strain-induced magnetic states

Abstract

Atomically-thin van der Waals magnetic materials offer exceptional opportunities to mechanically and electrically manipulate magnetic states and spin textures. The possibility of efficient spin transport in these materials makes them promising for the development of novel nanospintronics technology. Using atomistic spin dynamics simulations, we investigate magnetic ground state, magnon dispersion, critical temperature, and magnon spin transport in CrCl$_3$ bilayers in the absence and presence of compressive and tensile strains. We show that in the presence of mechanical strain, the magnon band gap at the $\Gamma$ point and the critical temperature of the bilayer are increased. Furthermore, our simulations show that the magnon diffusion length is reduced in the presence of strain. Moreover, by exciting magnons through the spin Seebeck effect and spin Hall-induced torque, we illustrate distinctions between magnon spin transport in the antiferromagnetic state, under compressive strains, and ferromagnetic states, under tensile strains or in the unstrained case.