Viewpoint: on the emergence of van der Waals magnets: a personal reflection
Abstract
Abstract The observation of magnetism in atomically thin van der Waals (vdW) antiferromagnets (FePS 3 , NiPS 3 , and MnPS 3 ) in 2016 marked an important moment in the development of two-dimensional physics. In this personal reflection, I describe how a simple question, posed in the early 2010s, motivated experimental efforts that culminated in the demonstration of antiferromagnetic order in monolayer FePS 3 . Alongside subsequent reports of vdW ferromagnets in 2017, these developments helped establish intrinsic magnetism as a viable degree of freedom in atomically thin materials. I close with personal lessons drawn from this period and a perspective on the opportunities that now shape the field’s second decade and beyond.
Fields of Study & Subjects
2D Materials and Applications
Topological Materials and Phenomena
Chemical and Physical Properties of Materials
Publication details
- Journal / source
- Journal of Physics Condensed Matter
- Volume
- 38
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 031001–031001
- Publication date
- 8 January 2026
- Language
- EN