Room-temperature ferromagnetism in 0D/2D hybrid systems

Two-dimensional (2D) transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) have gained popularity over the past years due to their attractive optoelectronic properties. In this work, we propose a system composed of 2D TMD materials, particularly MoSe₂; decorated with nanoparticles containing magnetic elements such as oxides of Mn, V and Fe. The 2D TMDs were synthesized by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and the nanoparticles were deposited in a thermal evaporator under a high vacuum. Raman and PL spectroscopy were used to study their optical properties; while the morphology and thickness of the samples were characterized via SEM and AFM, respectively. Magnetic measurements performed on MoSe₂ films, without the nanoparticles, reveal a weak ferromagnetic response. Similarly, weak ferromagnetism is observed for the nanoparticles deposited directly on a SiO₂ substrate, without the TMD films. However, when the nanoparticles are deposited on 2D MoSe₂, the 0D/2D hybrid system displays enhanced room-temperature ferromagnetism. Temperature-dependent measurements of saturation magnetization and coercivity indicate stronger magnetic coupling at lower temperatures, which could impact the future development of a new generation of spintronic devices.