Ferromagnetism in Two-Dimensional TMD Materials via Doping, Phase Transition and Defect Engineering

Developing transition metal chalcogenides (TMCs) with ferromagnetic and semiconductors properties in two-dimensional (2D) materials is important from both understanding the fundamental functional properties point of view as well as realizing spintronic devices using such 2D materials. The challenge is in the scarcity of such 2D ferromagnets with long-range magnetic order present down to atomic-layer thickness as well as retaining 2D-ferromagnetic nature at high-temperature. Ferromagnetism in TMCs, specifically in transition metal di-chalcogenides (TMDs), can be induced by defect engineering, doping, and controlling the phase by inducing phase transition. Such approaches to realize the 2D-ferromagnetic materials have been extensively explored in recent years, specifically in TMDs. This book chapter reviews various approaches attempted to realize long-range ferromagnetic ordering with Curie temperature near or above 300 K in 2D-TMDs via extrinsic mechanisms, specifically by controlling the defects, dopants, and phase stability mechanisms. The chapter also attempts to identify potential 2D TMD materials for spintronic applications.