arXiv subjects

Zhenhong Cui

Publications and source records attributed to Zhenhong Cui.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Element-Specific Visualization of Layer-Parity and Twist-Dependent Magnetism in CrSBr

Van der Waals (vdW) based antiferromagnets (AFMs) are an ideal platform for probing and understanding thickness- and twist-angle-dependent emergent spin phenomena. However, element-specific nanoscale characterization of the spin structure in atomically thin vdW-based AFMs systems and layer-parity effects remain elusive, making them crucial for both fundamental insight into low-dimensional magnetism and the rational design of spintronic devices based on these materials. Here, we utilize X-ray magnetic circular and linear dichroisms paired with photoemission electron microscopy to resolve the magnetic order in atomically thin CrSBr. Our comprehensive measurements reveal CrSBr magnetic structure at the nanoscale and its dependence on the layer number, surface encapsulation, temperature, and applied field. Moreover, in the orthogonally twisted bilayer configuration, obtained by twisting two CrSBr ferromagnetic monolayers by 90$^\circ$, the magnetic easy axis fundamentally differs from the individual monolayers, unlocking a new pathway for moir\'e magnetism.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2026

Enabling Electrical Readout of N\'eel vector reversal in a van der Waals Antiferromagnet

Owing to its robustness against external perturbations and intrinsically ultrafast dynamics, the N\'eel vector in antiferromagnets (AFMs) can enable the development of next-generation spintronic and magnonic devices for memory and computing applications. To realize AFM-based magnetic memory devices, one of the key requirements is to demonstrate electrical readout of 180-degree reversal of N\'eel vector in thin film AFMs, which remains critically missing. In this work, we report experimental demonstration of a novel transport methodology to detect N\'eel vector reversal in atomically thin films of a van der Waals (vdW) based A-type AFM. For this, we utilize spin-dependent electronic band properties of CrSBr by coupling it to a spin-polarized layer, separated by a tunnel barrier. In this configuration, the spin-dependent tunnelling magnetoresistance (MR) becomes sensitive to the relative orientation between the magnetization of the reference electrode and the interfacial sublattice magnetization of the AFM layer, in turn enabling electrical detection of the N\'eel vector orientation. Importantly, the observed MR can also reveal 180-degree reversal of N\'eel vector in even-layers of CrSBr, wherein adjacent sublattice magnetic layers are exactly compensated and the net magnetization vanishes and thus establishes a broadly applicable strategy for electrical detection of N\'eel vector in vdW-based AFMs.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2025

Magnetization Dependent In-plane Anomalous Hall Effect in a Low-dimensional System

Anomalous Hall Effect (AHE) response in magnetic systems is typically proportional to an out-of-plane magnetization component because of the restriction imposed by system symmetries, which demands that the magnetization, applied electric field, and induced Hall current are mutually orthogonal to each other. Here, we report experimental realization of an unconventional form of AHE in a low-dimensional heterostructure, wherein the Hall response is not only proportional to the out-of-plane magnetization component but also to the in-plane magnetization component. By interfacing a low-symmetry topological semimetal (TaIrTe4) with the ferromagnetic insulator (Cr2Ge2Te6), we create a low-dimensional magnetic system, where only one mirror symmetry is preserved. We show that as long as the magnetization has a finite component in the mirror plane, this last mirror symmetry is broken, allowing the emergence of an AHE signal proportional to in-plane magnetization. Our experiments, conducted on multiple devices, reveal a gate-voltage-dependent AHE response, suggesting that the underlying mechanisms responsible for the Hall effect in our system can be tuned via electrostatic gating. A minimal microscopic model constrained by the symmetry of the heterostructure shows that both interfacial spin-orbit coupling and time-reversal symmetry breaking via the exchange interaction from magnetization are responsible for the emergence of the in-plane AHE. Our work highlights the importance of system symmetries and exchange interaction in low-dimensional heterostructures for designing novel and tunable Hall effects in layered quantum systems.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗