Charge-Spin Correlation in van der Waals Antiferromagnet NiPS_{3}

Area of Science:

• Condensed matter physics
• Materials science
• Solid-state chemistry

Background:

• Layered transition-metal trichalcogenides are a class of materials with interesting electronic and magnetic properties.
• Van der Waals antiferromagnets offer platforms for studying low-dimensional magnetism.
• Nickel phosphorus trisulfide (NiPS_{3}) is a representative material in this class.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the charge-spin coupling in NiPS_{3}.
• To explore the interplay between electronic and magnetic structures.
• To assess the potential of NiPS_{3} for correlated-electron physics research.

Main Methods:

• Spectroscopic ellipsometry
• X-ray absorption spectroscopy
• Photoemission spectroscopy
• Density functional theory calculations

Main Results:

• Strong charge-spin coupling was identified in NiPS_{3}.
• An anomalous shift in optical spectral weight was observed at the magnetic ordering temperature.
• Evidence for a self-doped ground state was supported by various spectroscopic measurements.
• The electronic and magnetic structures are strongly coupled.

Conclusions:

• NiPS_{3} exhibits significant charge-spin coupling, indicating strong electron correlation.
• The material's properties make it a promising candidate for studying two-dimensional correlated-electron physics.
• Layered transition-metal trichalcogenides are valuable for fundamental research in magnetism and electronic properties.