arXiv subjects

Wuzhang Fang

Publications and source records attributed to Wuzhang Fang.

14 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Strain engineering of ultrafast magnetism in the room-temperature vdW ferromagnet Fe3GaTe2

Controlling ultrafast magnetic dynamics is critical to understanding nonequilibrium spin interactions and advancing high-speed spintronics. However, a lack of efficient in situ tuning strategies leaves most ultrafast studies largely dependent on the intrinsic properties of the individual materials. Here we demonstrate continuous strain tuning of both the equilibrium magnetic response and ultrafast demagnetization dynamics in the room-temperature van der Waals ferromagnet Fe3GaTe2. Applying up to 4.2% uniaxial tensile strain increases the coercive field from nearly zero to 100 Oe, consistent with an enhancement of the effective perpendicular magnetic anisotropy. Time-resolved magneto-optical Kerr effect measurements further reveal strain-accelerated ultrafast demagnetization, with 1.2% tensile strain reducing the characteristic demagnetization time by approximately 20%. Remarkably, strain accesses an accelerated demagnetization regime that cannot be reached simply by increasing pump fluence in the unstrained sample. Combined with first-principles calculations, our results resolve that the applied strain modifies the spin-lattice energy transfer, leading to the observed accelerated demagnetization. These findings establish mechanical strain as an effective route for on-demand control of ultrafast magnetic dynamics while reducing the required optical energy by reconfiguring the magnetic energy landscape and associated spin-relaxation pathways.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2026

Achieving Large Uniaxial and Homogeneous Strain in Two-Dimensional Materials

Strain engineering is a powerful tool for tuning the electronic, magnetic, and topological properties of two-dimensional (2D) materials and thin films - particularly at high values of strain (>3%) where many electronic, magnetic, and structural transitions have been predicted. However, most approaches to tuning strain in 2D materials are limited below 1.5%, with poor repeatability when cycling strain and low strain transfer when cooling to cryogenic temperatures. Here, we report a high-yield sample preparation and device strain platform that overcomes these limitations, enabling precise, reversible strain tuning up to the intrinsic strain-to-failure of the materials tested herein. In addition, we show that this platform can be used to controllably design uniform linear strain gradients across of 10's of $\mu$m, providing a novel route to systematically investigate flexoelectric and flexomagnetic phenomena. Using CrSBr as a model system, we demonstrate uniform uniaxial strain, up to ~4%, with negligible slippage and linear strain gradients of up to 0.06%/$\mu$m. We further show that our strain approach is applicable to a broad class of 2D materials, validating its performance for three different phases of transition metal dichalcogenides: 2H-MoTe$_2$, 1T$^\prime$-MoTe$_2$ and T$_\mathrm{d}$-WTe$_2$. In T$_\mathrm{d}$-WTe$_2$, verified by theoretical calculations, we show a continuous redshift of the A$_1^3$ mode, up to a record-breaking ~5.5% strain, with a clear separation of the A$_1^3$ and A$_1^2$ modes starting at 2% strain.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2026

Electrically switchable ferron upconversion in a van der Waals ferroelectric

Nonlinear phononics provides a powerful ultrafast route to control lattice excitations, enabling access to hidden quantum orders, phononic computing, and quantum transduction. However, dynamic control of anharmonic phonon interactions remains limited, as these interactions are typically fixed by the equilibrium crystal lattice and lack external tunability. Emergent ferrons in ferroelectrics, which are collective oscillations of the spontaneous electric polarization, may offer a promising platform to overcome this limitation by combining intrinsic phononic nonlinearity with direct electrical control of the ferroelectric order parameter. Here we report electrically controllable nonlinear ferron upconversion in the van der Waals ferroelectric NbOI2. We show that resonant THz excitation of a 3.1 THz ferron drives coherent upconversion to a 7.0 THz optical phonon. Using two-dimensional THz spectroscopy, we directly resolve off-diagonal coupling features and establish the nonlinear upconversion pathway. Supported by first-principles calculations and analytical modeling, we identify the microscopic origin as a cubic anharmonic lattice coupling. Importantly, in situ electric-field switching enables nonvolatile control of both the ferron dynamics and the associated upconversion process. The phase reversal and hysteretic behavior across the coercive fields establish that the ferron-mediated nonlinear phononic interaction is strongly dependent on the underlying ferroelectric order parameter. These results introduce ferron upconversion as a new and universal regime of nonlinear phononics in ferroelectrics and establish an electrically programmable platform for coherent lattice control, paving the way for ferronic information processing and quantum phononic transduction.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2025

Spin non-Collinear Real-Time Time-Dependent Density-Functional Theory and Implementation in the Modern GPU-Accelerated INQ code

Time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) is a theory that describes the time evolution of quantum mechanical many-electron systems under the influence of external time-dependent electric and magnetic fields. INQ is a specially designed software to efficiently solve the real-time TDDFT equations on graphics processing units (GPUs), which aim to overcome the computational limitation of time and size scales of non-equilibrium quantum dynamics. In this work we will present an implementation of non-collinear TDDFT for the INQ code to simulate spin dynamics in real time and discuss the implementation of non-collinear magnetic effects into the code. We will discuss the implementation of exchange-correlation magnetic fields, spin-orbit coupling, and the interaction between the electronic system and external magnetic fields. We will then consider several prototypical examples of spin dynamics in magnetic clusters and solids after light excitation. Potential applications range from the study of real-time dynamics of magnons to ultrafast spin dynamics under linear and circularly polarized laser excitation, as well as spectroscopic signatures such as magnetic circular dichroism and pump-probe Kerr rotation.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2025

Unconventional superlattice ordering in intercalated transition metal dichalcogenide V$_{1/3}$NbS$_2$

The interplay between symmetry and topology in magnetic materials makes it possible to engineer exotic phases and technologically useful properties. A key requirement for these pursuits is achieving control over local crystallographic and magnetic structure, usually through sample morphology (such as synthesis of bulk crystals versus thin-films) and application of magnetic or electric fields. Here we show that V$_{1/3}$NbS$_2$ can be crystallized in two ordered superlattices, distinguished by the periodicity of out-of-plane magnetic intercalants. Whereas one of these structures is metallic and displays the hallmarks of altermagnetism, the other superlattice, which has not been isolated before in this family of intercalation compounds, is a semimetallic noncollinear antiferromagnet that may enable access to topologically nontrivial properties. This observation of an unconventional superlattice structure establishes a powerful route for tailoring the tremendous array of magnetic and electronic behaviors hosted in related materials.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2025

Efficient method for calculating magnon-phonon coupling from first principles

Linear magnon-phonon coupling hybridizes magnon and phonon bands at the same energy and momentum, resulting in an anticrossing signature.This hybrid quasiparticle benefits from a long phonon lifetime and efficient magnon transport, showing great potential for spintronics and quantum information science applications.In this paper, we present an efficient and accurate first-principles approach for calculating linear magnon-phonon couplings.We first calculate the magnon spectra from linear spin wave theory with spin Hamiltonian and first-principles exchange constants, which compared well with time-dependent density-functional theory.We then obtain the magnon-phonon coupling from the derivative of off-diagonal exchange constants in real space, calculated from the Hellmann-Feynman forces of the spin-constrained configurations, avoiding the use of cumbersome finite-difference methods.Our implementation allows calculating coupling coefficients at an arbitrary wave vector in the Brillouin zone in a single step, through Fourier interpolation of real-space supercell calculations. We verify our implementation through two-dimensional magnetic systems, monolayer $\mathrm{CrI_3}$, in agreement with experiments, and extend its application to monolayer $\mathrm{CrTe_2}$. We emphasize the role of nonmagnetic atoms in superexchange interactions and magnon-phonon coupling, which have been overlooked previously. We suggest effective tuning of magnon-phonon coupling through strain, doping, and terahertz excitations, for spintronics and quantum magnonics applications.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2024

Spin-orbit torque in a three-fold-symmetric bilayer and its effect on magnetization dynamics

Field-free switching of perpendicular magnetization has been observed in an epitaxial L1$_1$-ordered CoPt/CuPt bilayer and attributed to spin-orbit torque (SOT) arising from the crystallographic $3m$ point group of the interface. Using a first-principles nonequilibrium Green's function formalism combined with the Anderson disorder model, we calculate the angular dependence of the SOT in a CoPt/CuPt bilayer and find that the magnitude of the $3m$ SOT is about 20% of the conventional dampinglike SOT. We further study the magnetization dynamics in perpendicularly magnetized films in the presence of $3m$ SOT and Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction, using the equations of motion for domain wall dynamics and micromagnetic simulations. We find that for systems with strong interfacial DMI characterized by the Néel character of domain walls, a very large current density is required to achieve deterministic switching because reorientation of the magnetization inside the domain wall is necessary to induce the switching asymmetry. For thicker films with relatively weak interfacial DMI and the Bloch character of domain walls the deterministic switching with much smaller currents is possible, which agrees with recent experimental findings.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2024

Colossal terahertz emission with ultrafast tunability based on van der Waals ferroelectric NbOI$_2$

Terahertz (THz) technology is critical for quantum material physics, biomedical imaging, ultrafast electronics, and next-generation wireless communications. However, standing in the way of widespread applications is the scarcity of efficient ultrafast THz sources with on-demand fast modulation and easy on-chip integration capability. Here we report the discovery of colossal THz emission from a van der Waals (vdW) ferroelectric semiconductor NbOI$_2$. Using THz emission spectroscopy, we observe a THz generation efficiency an order of magnitude higher than that of ZnTe, a standard nonlinear crystal for ultrafast THz generation. We further uncover the underlying generation mechanisms associated with its large ferroelectric polarization by studying the THz emission dependence on excitation wavelength, incident polarization and fluence. Moreover, we demonstrate the ultrafast coherent amplification and annihilation of the THz emission and associated coherent phonon oscillations by employing a double-pump scheme. These findings combined with first-principles calculations, inform new understanding of the THz light-matter interaction in emergent vdW ferroelectrics and pave the way to develop high-performance THz devices on them for quantum materials sensing and ultrafast electronics.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2024

Anomalous Hall effect from inter-superlattice scattering in a noncollinear antiferromagnet

Superlattice formation dictates the physical properties of many materials, including the nature of the ground state in magnetic materials. Chemical composition is commonly considered to be the primary determinant of superlattice identity, especially in intercalation compounds. Here, we find that, contrary to this conventional wisdom, kinetic control of superlattice growth leads to the coexistence of disparate domains within a compositionally "perfect" single crystal. We demonstrate that Cr$_{1/4}$TaS$_2$ is a bulk noncollinear antiferromagnet in which scattering between bulk and minority superlattice domains engenders complex magnetotransport below the Néel temperature, including an anomalous Hall effect. We characterize the magnetic phases in different domains, image their nanoscale morphology, and propose a mechanism for nucleation and growth. These results provide a blueprint for the deliberate engineering of macroscopic transport responses via microscopic patterning of magnetic exchange interactions in superlattice domains.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2024

Interplay of magnetic field and magnetic impurities in Ising superconductors

Phonon-driven $s$-wave superconductivity is fundamentally antagonistic to uniform magnetism, and field-induced suppression of the critical temperature is one of its canonical signatures. Examples of the opposite are unique and require fortuitous cancellations and very fine parameter tuning. The recently discovered Ising superconductors violate this rule: an external magnetic field applied in a certain direction does not suppress superconductivity in an ideal, impurity-free material. We propose a simple and experimentally accessible system where the effects of spin-conserving and spin-flip scattering can be studied in a controlled way, namely NbSe$_2$ monolayers dosed with magnetic $3d$ atoms. We predict that the critical temperature is slightly increased by an in-plane magnetic field in NbSe$_2$ dosed with Cr. Due to the band spin splitting, magnetic spin-flip scattering requires a finite momentum transfer, while spin-conserving scattering does not. If the magnetic anisotropy is easy-axis, an in-plane field reorients the impurity spins and transforms spin-conserving scattering into spin-flip. The critical temperature is enhanced if the induced magnetization of NbSe$_2$ has a substantial long-range component, as is the case for Cr ions.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2024

Spin-mechanical coupling in 2D antiferromagnet CrSBr

Spin-mechanical coupling is vital in diverse fields including spintronics, sensing and quantum transduction. Two-dimensional (2D) magnetic materials provide a unique platform for investigating spin-mechanical coupling, attributed to their mechanical flexibility and novel spin orderings. However, studying spin-mechanical coupling in 2D magnets presents challenges in probing mechanical deformation and thermodynamic properties change at nanoscale. Here we use nano opto-electro-mechanical interferometry to mechanically detect the phase transition and magnetostriction effect in multilayer CrSBr, an air-stable antiferromagnets with large magnon-exciton coupling. The transitions among antiferromagnetism, spin-canted ferromagnetism and paramagnetism are visualized by optomechanical frequency anomalies. Nontrivial magnetostriction coefficient 2.3x10^(-5) and magnetoelastic coupling strength on the order of 10^6 J/m^3 have been found. Moreover, we demonstrate the substantial tunability of the magnetoelastic constant by nearly 50% via gate-induced strain. Our findings demonstrate the strong spin-mechanical coupling in CrSBr and paves the way for developing sensitive magnetic sensing and efficient quantum transduction at atomically thin limit.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2022

First-principles calculations of spin-orbit torques in Mn$_2$Au/heavy-metal bilayers

Using the non-equilibrium Green's function technique, we calculate spin-orbit torques in a Mn$_2$Au/heavy-metal bilayer, where the heavy metal (HM) is W or Pt. Spin-orbit coupling (SOC) in the bulk of Mn$_2$Au generates strong fieldlike torquance, which is parallel on the two sublattices and scales linearly with the conductivity, and a weaker dampinglike torquance that is antiparallel on the two sublattices. Interfaces with W or Pt generate parallel dampinglike torques of opposite signs that are similar in magnitude to those in ferromagnetic bilayers and similarly insensitive to disorder. The dampinglike torque efficiency depends strongly on the termination of the interface and on the presence of spin-orbit coupling in Mn$_2$Au, suggesting that the dampinglike torque is not due solely to the spin-Hall effect in the HM layer. Interfaces also induce antiparallel fieldlike and dampinglike torques that can penetrate deep into Mn$_2$Au.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2021

Spirals and skyrmions in antiferromagnetic triangular lattices

We study realizations of spirals and skyrmions in two-dimensional antiferromagnets with a triangular lattice on an inversion-symmetry-breaking substrate. As a possible material realization, we investigate the adsorption of transition-metal atoms (Cr, Mn, Fe, or Co) on a monolayer of MoS$_2$, WS$_2$, or WSe$_2$ and obtain the exchange, anisotropy, and Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction parameters using first-principles calculations. Using energy minimization and parallel-tempering Monte-Carlo simulations, we determine the magnetic phase diagrams for a wide range of interaction parameters. We find that skyrmion lattices can appear even with weak Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interactions, but their stability is hindered by magnetic anisotropy. However, a weak easy plane magnetic anisotropy can be beneficial for stabilizing the skyrmion phase. Our results suggest that Cr$/$MoS$_2$, Fe$/$MoS$_2$, and Fe$/$WSe$_2$ interfaces can host spin spirals formed from the 120$^{\circ}$ antiferromagnetic states. Our results further suggests that for other interfaces, such as Fe$/$MoS$_2$, the Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction is strong enough to drive the system into a three-sublattice skyrmion lattice in the presence of experimentally feasible external magnetic field.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2016

Layer dependence of geometric, electronic and piezoelectric properties of SnSe

By means of first-principles calculations, we explore systematically the geometric, electronic and piezoelectric properties of multilayer SnSe. We find that these properties are layer-dependent, indicating that the interlayer interaction plays an important role. With increasing the number of SnSe layers from 1 to 6, we observe that the lattice constant decreases from 4.27 $\mathring{A}$ to 4.22 $\mathring{A}$ along zigzag direction, and increases from 4.41 $\mathring{A}$ to 4.51 $\mathring{A}$ along armchair direction close to the bulk limit (4.21 $\mathring{A}$ and 4.52 $\mathring{A}$, respectively); the band gap decreases from 1.45 eV to 1.08 eV, approaching the bulk gap 0.95 eV. Although the monolayer SnSe exhibits almost symmetric geometric and electronic structures along zigzag and armchair directions, bulk SnSe is obviously anisotropic, showing that the stacking of layers enhances the anisotropic character of SnSe. As bulk and even-layer SnSe have inversion centers, they cannot exhibit piezoelectric responses. However, we show that the odd-layer SnSe have piezoelectric coefficients much higher than those of the known piezoelectric materials, suggesting that the odd-layer SnSe is a good piezoelectric material.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗