A Quaternary van der Waals Ferromagnetic Semiconductor AgVP2Se6

The recent realization of 2D magnetism in van der Waals (vdWs) magnets holds promise for future information technology. However, the vdWs semiconducting ferromagnets, which remain rare, are especially important in developing 2D magnetic devices with new functionalities due to the possibility of simultaneous control of the carrier charge and spin. Metal thiophosphate (MTP), a multifunctional vdWs material system that combines the sought-after properties of complex oxides, is a promising vdWs magnet system. Here, single crystals of a novel vdWs ferromagnetic semiconductor MTP AgVP(2)Se(6)with a room-temperature resistivity of 1 omega m are successfully synthesized. Due to the nature of vdWs bonding along thec-axis, the magnetic properties of the few-layer AgVP(2)Se(6)with different thicknesses are characterized on the exfoliated samples. The AgVP(2)Se(6)flakes exhibit significant thickness-dependent magnetic properties, and a rectangular hysteresis loop with a large coercive field of 750 Oe at 2 K and an undiminished Curie temperature of 19 K are observed in the 6.7 nm AgVP(2)Se(6)flake. The discovered vdWs ferromagnet AgVP(2)Se(6)with semiconducting behavior will provide alternative platforms for exploring 2D magnetism and potential applications in spintronic devices.