Spin Glass Behavior in Amorphous Cr₂ Ge₂ Te₆ Phase-Change Alloy.

ABSTRACT: The layered crystal structure of Cr₂ Ge₂ Te₆ shows ferromagnetic ordering at the two-dimensional limit, which holds promise for spintronic applications. However, external voltage pulses can trigger amorphization of the material in nanoscale electronic devices, and it is unclear whether the loss of structural ordering leads to a change in magnetic properties. Here, it is demonstrated that Cr₂ Ge₂ Te₆ preserves the spin-polarized nature in the amorphous phase, but undergoes a magnetic transition to a spin glass state below 20 K. Quantum-mechanical computations reveal the microscopic origin of this transition in spin configuration: it is due to strong distortions of the CrTeCr bonds, connecting chromium-centered octahedra, an

SUBMITTER: Wang X 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10427411 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature