TY - JOUR
T1 - Phase engineering of atomically thin magnetic chromium tellurides via molecular beam epitaxy
AU - Miao, Guangyao
AU - Zhang, Zongnan
AU - Jin, Yichen
AU - Kronast, Florian
AU - Hu, Kai
AU - Chen, Pan
AU - Xiao, Dongdong
AU - Cojal González, José D.
AU - Sun, Haojie
AU - Meng, Chenxi
AU - Jiang, Wei
AU - Yao, Yugui
AU - Guo, Qinlin
AU - Zhang, Jiandi
AU - Palma, Carlos Andres
AU - Wang, Weihua
AU - Rabe, Jürgen P.
AU - Guo, Jiandong
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s) 2026.
PY - 2026/12
Y1 - 2026/12
N2 - Crystal structure engineering is pivotal for tailoring material properties, particularly in atomically thin two-dimensional (2D) transition-metal chalcogenides that exhibit rich, crystal-phase-dependent electronic, optical, and magnetic properties. However, their crystal-phase-controlled synthesis remains a critical challenge that limits their practical applications. Here, we report the phase-controlled synthesis of atomically thin chromium telluride films, including CrTe3, CrTe2, Cr1+δTe2, and CrTe, on graphene/SiC substrates via precise tuning of molecular beam epitaxy parameters. The growth mechanism is further revealed. We have systematically characterized the different structures and electronic, chemical, and magnetic properties of these films using scanning tunneling microscopy/spectroscopy, scanning transmission electron microscopy, density functional theory calculations, X-ray photoelectron/absorption spectroscopy, and circular-polarized X-ray photoemission electron microscopy. Heterostructures of different chromium telluride phases are further fabricated, demonstrating band engineering enabled by phase control of chromium tellurides.
AB - Crystal structure engineering is pivotal for tailoring material properties, particularly in atomically thin two-dimensional (2D) transition-metal chalcogenides that exhibit rich, crystal-phase-dependent electronic, optical, and magnetic properties. However, their crystal-phase-controlled synthesis remains a critical challenge that limits their practical applications. Here, we report the phase-controlled synthesis of atomically thin chromium telluride films, including CrTe3, CrTe2, Cr1+δTe2, and CrTe, on graphene/SiC substrates via precise tuning of molecular beam epitaxy parameters. The growth mechanism is further revealed. We have systematically characterized the different structures and electronic, chemical, and magnetic properties of these films using scanning tunneling microscopy/spectroscopy, scanning transmission electron microscopy, density functional theory calculations, X-ray photoelectron/absorption spectroscopy, and circular-polarized X-ray photoemission electron microscopy. Heterostructures of different chromium telluride phases are further fabricated, demonstrating band engineering enabled by phase control of chromium tellurides.
UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105048113459
U2 - 10.1038/s41467-026-75472-0
DO - 10.1038/s41467-026-75472-0
M3 - Article
C2 - 42431921
AN - SCOPUS:105048113459
SN - 2041-1723
VL - 17
JO - Nature Communications
JF - Nature Communications
IS - 1
M1 - 8825
ER -