Fabian von Rohr (@vonrohr.bsky.social)

We discovered an incommensurately modulated phase K₁₋ₓCrSe₂ — one of the rare cases where structural modulation enhances magnetic interactions. This has intriguing implications for low-dimensional magnets! Check out our paper in #JACS: doi.org/10.1021/jacs... #MaterialsChemistry #Magnetism #ChemSky

loading . . .

Structural Modulation and Enhanced Magnetic Ordering in Incommensurate K1–xCrSe2 Crystals Layered delafossite-type compounds and related transition metal dichalcogenides, characterized by their triangular net structures, serve as prototypical systems for exploring the intricate interplay between crystal structure and magnetic behavior. Herein, we report on the discovery of the compound K1–xCrSe2 (x ≈ 0.13), an incommensurately modulated phase. Single crystals of this compound were grown for the first time using a K/Se self-flux. We find a monoclinic crystal structure with incommensurate modulation that can be rationalized by a 3 + 1-dimensional model. This modulation compensates for the under-stoichiometry of K cations, creating pronounced undulations in the CrSe2 layers. Our anisotropic magnetization measurements reveal that K1–xCrSe2 undergoes a transition to a long-range magnetically ordered state below TN = 133 K, a temperature 1.6 to 3.3 times higher than in earlier reported KCrSe2 compounds. Our findings open new avenues for tuning the magnetic properties of these layered materials through structural modulation. https://doi.org/10.1021/jacs.4c13545