Magnetic and optical properties of two-dimensional SnS2 nanosheets doped with Ho ions

Ferromagnetic two-dimensional (2D) layered chalcogenide semiconductors have been considered as a promising candidate for the next-generation spintronic devices and photodevices. A major challenge is to prepare the stable ferromagnetic chalcogenide semiconductors materials with high Curie temperature. Herein, we introduce a facile approach to synthesize the two-dimensional SnS2 nanosheets with varying Ho dopant concentrations of 0 at.%, 0.71 at.%, 1.10 at%, 1.43 at.%, 1.59 at%, then we investigate the optical and magnetic properties of the-synthesized samples. The variable optical band gap and enhanced luminescence provide the evidences for the tune of the optical characteristics by changeable Ho doping concentration. Magnetic measurement results show that the enhanced room temperature ferromagnetism of the Ho doped two-dimensional SnS2 nanosheets with a maximum ferromagnetic response of 0.072 emu/g. Further first-principle calculations results address that the ferromagnetism of Ho-doped SnS2 is mainly derived from Sn vacancies and Ho substitution. This work suggests that the two-dimensional SnS2 nanosheets doped with rare earth atoms have potential applications in spintronics and optoeletronics.