Doping level and environment dependence of structural stability and magnetic properties in Mn-doped WS2 bilayer in first principles

• Published in: Current applied physics Vol. 39; pp. 1 - 7
• Main Authors: Van Quang, Tran, Kim, Miyoung
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01-07-2022; 한국물리학회
• Subjects: Electronic structures; Ferromagnet; First principles; Magnetic properties; Transition metal dichalcogenides; WS2 bilayer; 물리학; First principles; WS2 bilayer; Electronic structures; Transition metal dichalcogenides; Ferromagnet; Magnetic properties
• ISSN: 1567-1739; 1878-1675
• DOI: 10.1016/j.cap.2022.03.016

We carried out first-principles electronic structure calculation to study the structural stability and magnetic properties of Mn-doped WS2 ultra-thin films within the density functional theory. Adopting various configurations of Mn doping into WS2 bilayer, we find that the magnetic phase can be manipulated among the ferromagnetic, antiferromagnetic, or ferrimagnetic phases by altering doping level and growth environment. Magnetic phase and strength are determined by magnetic coupling of Mn dopants 3d electrons which can be attributed crucially to the exchange interaction mediated by neighboring S atoms 3p electrons. Accompanying to the magnetic phase transition, the electronic structure reveals that transport properties switch from semiconducting with various bandgap to half-metallic states. This result implicates possible way to develop magnetic semiconductors based on Mn doped 2D WS2 ultra-thin films for spintronics applications.
[Display omitted]
•Magnetic phase of Mn-doped WS2 bilayer depends on doping level.•Ferro-, antiferro-, and ferri-magnets possible depending on environment.•Transport properties switch from semiconductor to half-metallic states.•Mn 3d exchange coupling mediated by neighboring S 3p is crucial.