English

Element-Specific Visualization of Layer-Parity and Twist-Dependent Magnetism in CrSBr

Mesoscale and Nanoscale Physics 2026-07-28 v1 Materials Science

Abstract

Van der Waals (vdW) based antiferromagnets (AFMs) are an ideal platform for probing and understanding thickness- and twist-angle-dependent emergent spin phenomena. However, element-specific nanoscale characterization of the spin structure in atomically thin vdW-based AFMs systems and layer-parity effects remain elusive, making them crucial for both fundamental insight into low-dimensional magnetism and the rational design of spintronic devices based on these materials. Here, we utilize X-ray magnetic circular and linear dichroisms paired with photoemission electron microscopy to resolve the magnetic order in atomically thin CrSBr. Our comprehensive measurements reveal CrSBr magnetic structure at the nanoscale and its dependence on the layer number, surface encapsulation, temperature, and applied field. Moreover, in the orthogonally twisted bilayer configuration, obtained by twisting two CrSBr ferromagnetic monolayers by 90^\circ, the magnetic easy axis fundamentally differs from the individual monolayers, unlocking a new pathway for moir\'e magnetism.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.2607.26003,
  title  = {Element-Specific Visualization of Layer-Parity and Twist-Dependent Magnetism in CrSBr},
  author = {Aalok Tiwari and Shubhada Patil and Ravi Kumar Bandapelli and Alevtina Smekhova and Abhishek Kumar and Wenhao Liu and I-Hsuan Kao and Zhenhong Cui and Raghvendra Posti and Brandon Tran and Zixin Zhai and Priti Yadav and Sandy Adhitia Ekahana and Alexander X. Gray and Bing Lv and Vivekanand Shukla and Florian Kronast and Simranjeet Singh and Jyoti Katoch},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2607.26003},
  year   = {2026}
}