Thickness-Dependent Magnetic Breakdown in ZrSiSe Nanoplates

We report a study of thickness-dependent interband and intraband magnetic breakdown by thermoelectric quantum oscillations in ZrSiSe nanoplates. Under high magnetic fields of up to 30 T, quantum oscillations arising from degenerated hole pockets were observed in thick ZrSiSe nanoplates. However, when decreasing the thickness, plentiful multifrequency quantum oscillations originating from hole and electron pockets are captured. These multiple frequencies can be explained by the emergent interband magnetic breakdown enclosing individual hole and electron pockets and intraband magnetic breakdown within spin-orbit coupling (SOC) induced saddle-shaped electron pockets, resulting in the enhanced contribution to thermal transport in thin ZrSiSe nanoplates. These experimental frequencies agree well with theoretical calculations of the intriguing tunneling processes. Our results introduce a new member of magnetic breakdown to the field and open up a dimension for modulating magnetic breakdown, which holds fundamental significance for both low-dimensional topological materials and the physics of magnetic breakdown.

Gate-tunable Intrinsic Anomalous Hall Effect in Epitaxial MnBi2Te4 Films

The anomalous Hall effect (AHE) is an important transport signature revealing topological properties of magnetic materials and their spin textures. Recently, MnBi2Te4 has been demonstrated to be an intrinsic magnetic topological insulator. However, the origin of its intriguing AHE behaviors remains elusive. Here, we demonstrate the Berry curvature-dominated intrinsic AHE in wafer-scale MnBi2Te4 films. By applying back-gate voltages, we observe an ambipolar conduction and n-p transition in ∼7-layer MnBi2Te4, where a quadratic relation between the AHE resistance and longitudinal resistance suggests its intrinsic AHE nature. In particular, for ∼3-layer MnBi2Te4, the AHE sign can be tuned from pristine negative to positive. First-principles calculations unveil that such an AHE reversal originated from the competing Berry curvature between oppositely polarized spin-minority-dominated surface states and spin-majority-dominated inner bands. Our results shed light on the underlying physical mechanism of the intrinsic AHE and provide new perspectives for the unconventional sign-tunable AHE.

Nondegenerate Integer Quantum Hall Effect from Topological Surface States in Ag2Te Nanoplates

The quantum Hall effect is one of the exclusive properties displayed by Dirac Fermions in topological insulators, which propagates along the chiral edge state and gives rise to quantized electron transport. However, the quantum Hall effect formed by the nondegenerate Dirac surface states has been elusive so far. Here, we demonstrate the nondegenerate integer quantum Hall effect from the topological surface states in three-dimensional (3D) topological insulator β-Ag2Te nanostructures. Surface-state dominant conductance renders quantum Hall conductance plateaus with a step of e2/h, along with typical thermopower behaviors of two-dimensional (2D) massless Dirac electrons. The 2D nature of the topological surface states is proven by the electrical and thermal transport responses under tilted magnetic fields. Moreover, the degeneracy of the surface states is removed by structure inversion asymmetry (SIA). The evidenced SIA-induced nondegenerate integer quantum Hall effect in low-symmetry β-Ag2Te has implications for both fundamental study and the realization of topological magneto-electric effects.

Multiprincipal Element M2 FeC (M = Ti,V,Nb,Ta,Zr) MAX Phases with Synergistic Effect of Dielectric and Magnetic Loss

Electromagnetic (EM) wave pollution is harmful to human health and environment, thus it is absolutely important to develop new electromagnetic wave absorbing materials. MAX phases have been attracted more attention as a potential candidate for electromagnetic wave absorbing materials due to their high conductivity and nanolaminated structure. Herein, two new magnetic MAX phases with multiprincipal elements ((Ti_1/3 Nb_1/3 Ta_1/3 )₂ FeC and (Ti_0.2 V_0.2 Nb_0.2 Ta_0.2 Zr_0.2 )₂ FeC) in which Fe atoms replace Al atoms in the A sites are successfully synthesized by an isomorphous replacement reaction of multiprincipal (Ti_1/3 Nb_1/3 Ta_1/3 )₂ AlC and (Ti_0.2 V_0.2 Nb_0.2 Ta_0.2 Zr_0.2 )₂ AlC MAX phases with Lewis acid salt (FeCl₂ ). (Ti_1/3 Nb_1/3 Ta_1/3 )₂ FeC and (Ti_0.2 V_0.2 Nb_0.2 Ta_0.2 Zr_0.2 )₂ FeC exhibit ferromagnetic behavior, and the Curie temperature (T_c ) are 302 and 235 K, respectively. The dual electromagnetic absorption mechanisms that include dielectric and magnetic loss, which is realized in these multiprincipal MAX phases. The minimum reflection loss (RL) of (Ti_1/3 Nb_1/3 Ta_1/3 )₂ FeC is -44.4 dB at 6.56 GHz with 3 mm thickness, and the effective bandwidth is 2.48 GHz. Additionally, the electromagnetic wave absorption properties of the magnetic MAX phases indicate that magnetic loss also plays an important role besides dielectric loss. This work shows a promising composition-design strategy to develop MAX phases with good EM wave absorption performance via simultaneously regulating dielectric and magnetic loss together.

Photodetection and Infrared Imaging Based on Cd3As2 Epitaxial Vertical Heterostructures

Due to the nontrivial electronic structure, Cd₃As₂ is predicted to possess various transport properties and outstanding photoresponses. Photodetectors based on topological materials are mostly made up of nanoplates, yet monolithic in situ heteroepitaxial Cd₃As₂ photodetectors are rarely reported to date owing to the crystal mismatch between Cd₃As₂ and semiconductors. Here, we demonstrate Cd₃As₂/Zn_xCd_1-xTe/GaSb vertical heteroepitaxial photodetectors via molecule beam epitaxy. By constructing dual-Schottky junctions, these photodetectors show high responsivity and external quantum efficiency in a broadband spectrum. Based on the strong and fast photoresponse, we achieved visible light to near-infrared imaging using a one-pixel imaging system with a galvo. Our results illustrate that the integration of three-dimensional Dirac semimetal Cd₃As₂ with semiconductors has potential applications in broadband photodetection and infrared cameras.

Quasi-1D van der Waals Antiferromagnetic CrZr4 Te14 with Large In-Plane Anisotropic Negative Magnetoresistance

The discovery of 2D van der Waals (vdW) magnetic materials is of great significance to explore intriguing 2D magnetic physics and develop innovative spintronic devices. In this work, a new quasi-1D vdW layered compound CrZr₄ Te₁₄ is successfully synthesized. Owing to the existence of 1D [CrTe₂ ] and [ZrTe₃ ] chains along the b-axis, CrZr₄ Te₁₄ crystals show strong anisotropy of phonon vibrations, electrical transport, and magnetism. Density functional theory calculations reveal the ferromagnetic (FM) coupling within the [CrTe₂ ] chain, while the interchain and interlayer couplings are both weakly antiferromagnetic (AF). Notably, a large intrinsic negative magnetoresistance (nMR) of -56% is achieved at 2 K under 9 T, and the in-plane anisotropic factor of nMR can reach up to 8.2 in the CrZr₄ Te₁₄ device. The 1D FM chains and anisotropic nMR effect make CrZr₄ Te₁₄ an interesting platform for exploring novel polarization-sensitive spintronics.

Controllable Domain Walls in Two-Dimensional Ferromagnetic Material Fe3GeTe2 Based on the Spin-Transfer Torque Effect

Recently, two-dimensional magnetic material has attracted attention worldwide due to its potential application in magnetic memory devices. The previous concept of domain walls driven by current pulses is a disordered motion. Further investigation of the mechanism is urgently lacking. Here, Fe₃GeTe₂, a typical high-Curie temperature (T_C) two-dimensional magnetic material, is chosen to explore the magnetic domain dynamics by in situ Lorentz transmission electron microscopy experiments. It has been found that the stripe domain could be driven, compressed, and expanded by the pulses with a critical current density. Revealed by micromagnetic simulations, all the domain walls cannot move synchronously due to the competition between demagnetization energy and spin-transfer torque effect. In consideration of the reflection of high-frequency pulses, the disordered motion could be well explained together. The multiple stable states of the magnetic structure due to the weak exchange interaction in a two-dimensional magnet provides complex dynamic processes. Based on plenty of experiments, a cluster of domain walls could be more steady and move more synchronously under the drive of pulse current. The complication of domain wall motions presents a challenge in race track memory devices and two-dimensional magnetic material will be a better choice for application research.

Magnetic-field-induced nonlinear transport in HfTe5

The interplay of electron correlations and topological phases gives rise to various exotic phenomena including fractionalization, excitonic instability and axionic excitation. Recently discovered transition-metal pentatellurides can reach the ultra-quantum limit in low magnetic fields and serve as good candidates for achieving such a combination. Here, we report evidence of density wave and metal-insulator transition in HfTe₅ induced by intense magnetic fields. Using the non-linear transport technique, we detect a distinct non-linear conduction behavior in the longitudinal resistivity within the a–c plane, corresponding to the formation of a density wave induced by magnetic fields. In high fields, the onset of non-linear conduction in the Hall resistivity indicates an impurity-pinned magnetic freeze-out as the possible origin of the insulating behavior. These frozen electrons can be gradually reactivated into mobile states above a threshold of electric field. This experimental evidence calls for further investigation into the underlying mechanism of the bulk quantum Hall effect and field-induced phase transitions in pentatellurides.

Van der Waals ferromagnetic Josephson junctions

Superconductor-ferromagnet interfaces in two-dimensional heterostructures present a unique opportunity to study the interplay between superconductivity and ferromagnetism. The realization of such nanoscale heterostructures in van der Waals (vdW) crystals remains largely unexplored due to the challenge of making atomically-sharp interfaces from their layered structures. Here, we build a vdW ferromagnetic Josephson junction (JJ) by inserting a few-layer ferromagnetic insulator Cr2Ge2Te6 into two layers of superconductor NbSe2. The critical current and corresponding junction resistance exhibit a hysteretic and oscillatory behavior against in-plane magnetic fields, manifesting itself as a strong Josephson coupling state. Also, we observe a central minimum of critical current in some JJ devices as well as a nontrivial phase shift in SQUID structures, evidencing the coexistence of 0 and π phase in the junction region. Our study paves the way to exploring sensitive probes of weak magnetism and multifunctional building-blocks for phase-related superconducting circuits using vdW heterostructures.

Observation of thickness-tuned universality class in superconducting β-W thin films

The interplay between quenched disorder and critical behavior in quantum phase transitions is conceptually fascinating and of fundamental importance for understanding phase transitions. However, it is still unclear whether or not the quenched disorder influences the universality class of quantum phase transitions. More crucially, the absence of superconducting-metal transitions under in-plane magnetic fields in 2D superconductors imposes constraints on the universality of quantum criticality. Here, we observe the thickness-tuned universality class of superconductor-metal transition by changing the disorder strength in β-W films with varying thickness. The finite-size scaling uncovers the switch of universality class: quantum Griffiths singularity to multiple quantum criticality at a critical thickness of t_c⊥1~8nm and then from multiple quantum criticality to single criticality at t_c⊥2~16nm. Moreover, the superconducting-metal transition is observed for the first time under in-plane magnetic fields and the universality class is changed at t_c‖~8nm. The observation of thickness-tuned universality class under both out-of-plane and in-plane magnetic fields provides broad information for the disorder effect on superconducting-metal transitions and quantum criticality.

Tuning 2D magnetism in Fe3+XGeTe2 films by element doping

Two-dimensional (2D) ferromagnetic materials have been discovered with tunable magnetism and orbital-driven nodal-line features. Controlling the 2D magnetism in exfoliated nanoflakes via electric/magnetic fields enables a boosted Curie temperature (T_C) or phase transitions. One of the challenges, however, is the realization of high T_C 2D magnets that are tunable, robust and suitable for large scale fabrication. Here, we report molecular-beam epitaxy growth of wafer-scale Fe_3+XGeTe₂ films with T_C above room temperature. By controlling the Fe composition in Fe_3+XGeTe₂, a continuously modulated T_C in a broad range of 185–320 K has been achieved. This widely tunable T_C is attributed to the doped interlayer Fe that provides a 40% enhancement around the optimal composition X = 2. We further fabricated magnetic tunneling junction device arrays that exhibit clear tunneling signals. Our results show an effective and reliable approach, i.e. element doping, to producing robust and tunable ferromagnetism beyond room temperature in a large-scale 2D Fe_3+XGeTe₂ fashion.

Tunable Terahertz Plasmons in Graphite Thin Films

Tunable terahertz plasmons are essential for reconfigurable photonics, which have been demonstrated in graphene through gating, though with relatively weak responses. Here we demonstrate strong terahertz plasmons in graphite thin films via infrared spectroscopy, with dramatic tunability by even a moderate temperature change or an in situ bias voltage. Meanwhile, through magnetoplasmon studies, we reveal that massive electrons and massless Dirac holes make comparable contributions to the plasmon response. Our study not only sets up a platform for further exploration of two-component plasmas, but also opens an avenue for terahertz modulation through electrical bias or all-optical means.

Plasmons in the van der Waals charge-density-wave material 2H-TaSe2

Plasmons in two-dimensional (2D) materials beyond graphene have recently gained much attention. However, the experimental investigation is limited due to the lack of suitable materials. Here, we experimentally demonstrate localized plasmons in a correlated 2D charge-density-wave (CDW) material: 2H-TaSe2. The plasmon resonance can cover a broad spectral range from the terahertz (40 μm) to the telecom (1.55 μm) region, which is further tunable by changing thickness and dielectric environments. The plasmon dispersion flattens at large wave vectors, resulted from the universal screening effect of interband transitions. More interestingly, anomalous temperature dependence of plasmon resonances associated with CDW excitations is observed. In the CDW phase, the plasmon peak close to the CDW excitation frequency becomes wider and asymmetric, mimicking two coupled oscillators. Our study not only reveals the universal role of the intrinsic screening on 2D plasmons, but also opens an avenue for tunable plasmons in 2D correlated materials.

Magnetic-Field-Induced Re-entrance of Superconductivity in Ta2PdS5 Nanostrips

The motion of Abrikosov vortices is the dominant origin of dissipation in type II superconductors subjected to a magnetic field, which leads to a finite electrical resistance. It is generally believed that the increase in the magnetic field results in the aggravation of energy dissipation through the increase in vortex density. Here, we show a distinctive re-entrance of the dissipationless state in quasi-one-dimensional superconducting Ta₂PdS₅ nanostrips. Utilizing magnetotransport measurements, we unveil a prominent magnetoresistance drop with the increase in the magnetic field below the superconducting transition temperature, manifesting itself as a giant re-entrance to the superconducting phase. Time-dependent Ginzburg-Landau calculations show that this is originated from the suppression of the vortex motion by the increased energy barrier on the edges. Interestingly, both our experiments and simulations demonstrate that this giant re-entrance of superconductivity occurs only in certain geometrical regimes because of the finite size of the vortex.

Light-Tunable Ferromagnetism in Atomically Thin Fe_{3}GeTe_{2} Driven by Femtosecond Laser Pulse

The recent discovery of intrinsic ferromagnetism in two-dimensional (2D) van der Waals (vdW) crystals has opened up a new arena for spintronics, raising an opportunity of achieving tunable intrinsic 2D vdW magnetism. Here, we show that the magnetization and the magnetic anisotropy energy (MAE) of few-layered Fe_{3}GeTe_{2} (FGT) is strongly modulated by a femtosecond laser pulse. Upon increasing the femtosecond laser excitation intensity, the saturation magnetization increases in an approximately linear way and the coercivity determined by the MAE decreases monotonically, showing unambiguously the effect of the laser pulse on magnetic ordering. This effect observed at room temperature reveals the emergence of light-driven room-temperature (300 K) ferromagnetism in 2D vdW FGT, as its intrinsic Curie temperature T_{C} is ∼200  K. The light-tunable ferromagnetism is attributed to the changes in the electronic structure due to the optical doping effect. Our findings pave a novel way to optically tune 2D vdW magnetism and enhance the T_{C} up to room temperature, promoting spintronic applications at or above room temperature.

Gate-Tunable Surface States in Topological Insulator β-Ag2Te with High Mobility

Stimulated by novel properties in topological insulators, experimentally realizing quantum phases of matter and employing control over their properties have become a central goal in condensed matter physics. β-silver telluride (Ag₂Te) is predicted to be a new type narrow-gap topological insulator. While enormous efforts have been plunged into the topological nature in silver chalcogenides, sophisticated research on low-dimensional nanostructures remains unexplored. Here, we report the record-high bulk carrier mobility of 298 600 cm²/(V s) in high-quality Ag₂Te nanoplates and the coexistence of the surface and bulk state from systematic Shubnikov-de Haas oscillations measurements. By tuning the correlation between the top and bottom surfaces, we can effectively enhance the contribution of the surface to the total conductance up to 87% at 130 V. These results are instrumental to the high-mobility physics study and even suitable to explore exotic topological phenomena in this material system.

Anomalous Spin Behavior in Fe3GeTe2 Driven by Current Pulses

Recently, 2D ferromagnetic materials have aroused wide interest for their magnetic properties and potential applications in spintronic and topological devices. However, their actual applications have been severely hindered by intricate challenges such as the unclear spin arrangement. In particular, the evolution of spin texture driven by high-density electron current, which is an essential condition for fabricating devices, remains unclear. Herein, the current-pulse-driven spin textures in 2D ferromagnetic material Fe₃GeTe₂ have been thoroughly investigated by in situ Lorentz transmission electron microscopy. The dynamic experiments reveal that the stripe domain structure in the AB and AC planes can be broken and rearranged by the high-density current. In particular, the density of domain walls can be modulated, which offers an avenue to achieve a high-density domain structure. This phenomenon is attributed to the weak interlayer exchange interaction in 2D metallic ferromagnetic materials and the strong disturbance from the high-density current. Therefore, a bubble domain structure and random magnetization in Fe₃GeTe₂ can be acquired by synchronous current pulses and magnetic fields. These achievements reveal domain structure transitions driven by the current in 2D metallic magnetic materials and provide references for the practical applications.

Edge superconductivity in multilayer WTe2 Josephson junction

WTe₂, as a type-II Weyl semimetal, has 2D Fermi arcs on the (001) surface in the bulk and 1D helical edge states in its monolayer. These features have recently attracted wide attention in condensed matter physics. However, in the intermediate regime between the bulk and monolayer, the edge states have not been resolved owing to its closed band gap which makes the bulk states dominant. Here, we report the signatures of the edge superconductivity by superconducting quantum interference measurements in multilayer WTe₂ Josephson junctions and we directly map the localized supercurrent. In thick WTe₂ ([Formula: see text], the supercurrent is uniformly distributed by bulk states with symmetric Josephson effect ([Formula: see text]). In thin WTe₂ (10 nm), however, the supercurrent becomes confined to the edge and its width reaches up to [Formula: see text]and exhibits non-symmetric behavior [Formula: see text]. The ability to tune the edge domination by changing thickness and the edge superconductivity establishes WTe₂ as a promising topological system with exotic quantum phases and a rich physics.

Non-perturbative terahertz high-harmonic generation in the three-dimensional Dirac semimetal Cd3As2

Harmonic generation is a general characteristic of driven nonlinear systems, and serves as an efficient tool for investigating the fundamental principles that govern the ultrafast nonlinear dynamics. Here, we report on terahertz-field driven high-harmonic generation in the three-dimensional Dirac semimetal Cd3As2 at room temperature. Excited by linearly-polarized multi-cycle terahertz pulses, the third-, fifth-, and seventh-order harmonic generation is very efficient and detected via time-resolved spectroscopic techniques. The observed harmonic radiation is further studied as a function of pump-pulse fluence. Their fluence dependence is found to deviate evidently from the expected power-law dependence in the perturbative regime. The observed highly non-perturbative behavior is reproduced based on our analysis of the intraband kinetics of the terahertz-field driven nonequilibrium state using the Boltzmann transport theory. Our results indicate that the driven nonlinear kinetics of the Dirac electrons plays the central role for the observed highly nonlinear response.

Two-dimensional ferromagnetic superlattices

Mechanically exfoliated two-dimensional ferromagnetic materials (2D FMs) possess long-range ferromagnetic order and topologically nontrivial skyrmions in few layers. However, because of the dimensionality effect, such few-layer systems usually exhibit much lower Curie temperature (T_C) compared to their bulk counterparts. It is therefore of great interest to explore effective approaches to enhance their T_C, particularly in wafer-scale for practical applications. Here, we report an interfacial proximity-induced high-T_C 2D FM Fe₃GeTe₂ (FGT) via A-type antiferromagnetic material CrSb (CS) which strongly couples to FGT. A superlattice structure of (FGT/CS)_n, where n stands for the period of FGT/CS heterostructure, has been successfully produced with sharp interfaces by molecular-beam epitaxy on 2-inch wafers. By performing elemental specific X-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD) measurements, we have unequivocally discovered that T_C of 4-layer Fe₃GeTe₂ can be significantly enhanced from 140 K to 230 K because of the interfacial ferromagnetic coupling. Meanwhile, an inverse proximity effect occurs in the FGT/CS interface, driving the interfacial antiferromagnetic CrSb into a ferrimagnetic state as evidenced by double-switching behavior in hysteresis loops and the XMCD spectra. Density functional theory calculations show that the Fe-Te/Cr-Sb interface is strongly FM coupled and doping of the spin-polarized electrons by the interfacial Cr layer gives rise to the T_C enhancement of the Fe₃GeTe₂ films, in accordance with our XMCD measurements. Strikingly, by introducing rich Fe in a 4-layer FGT/CS superlattice, T_C can be further enhanced to near room temperature. Our results provide a feasible approach for enhancing the magnetic order of few-layer 2D FMs in wafer-scale and render opportunities for realizing realistic ultra-thin spintronic devices.

Slowing down photocarrier relaxation in Dirac semimetal Cd3As2 via Mn doping

In this Letter, we successfully introduce a long-lived non-radiative photocarrier decay component in a Dirac semimetal Cd₃As₂ thin film via Mn doping. The long-lived decay component is found to vary between 200 ps and 2.8 ns with different Mn concentrations and probing wavelengths. Most remarkably, the elongated transients persist over the important mid-infrared wavelengths (observed up to 4 μm). Saturable absorption measurement reveals stronger modulation effects for long-width pulses (∼80  ps) from the Mn-doped samples. Our results provide new insights into the effect of transition-metal doping on the ultrafast optical properties of Dirac semimetal Cd₃As₂ and establish Cd₃As₂ as a highly amendable material for mid-infrared photonic applications.

Ultraviolet to Long-Wave Infrared Photodetectors Based on a Three-Dimensional Dirac Semimetal/Organic Thin Film Heterojunction

In this work, high-performance ultraviolet to long-wave infrared (UV-LIR) devices based on an N-type three-dimensional (3D) Dirac semimetal Cd₃As₂ and P-type organic (small molecules and polymers) heterojunction are prepared. Primarily, the photodetector shows a broadband photoresponse from 365 to 10600 nm. The optimized device responsivity is 729 mA/W, along with a fast response time of 282 μs and a high on-off ratio of 6268, which are 2 orders of magnitude higher than those previously reported for a 3D Dirac semimetal-based device. In the LIR region (10600 nm), the responsivity and on-off ratio can reach 81.3 mA/W and 100, respectively. In addition, the time-resolved femtosecond pump detection technology is used to reveal the relaxation time of Cd₃As₂/organic thin films (4.30 ps), indicating that Cd₃As₂/organic thin films have great potential for the manufacture of fast IR devices. These results demonstrate that the 3D Dirac semimetal/organic thin film heterojunction photodetectors will be a feasible solution for high-speed and broadband photodetectors in large-array imaging.

Gd2Te3: an antiferromagnetic semimetal

We report high-precision magnetization ([Formula: see text]), magnetic susceptibility ([Formula: see text]), specific heat (C _p(T, H)) and 'zero-field' electrical resistivity, [Formula: see text], data taken on Gd₂Te₃ single crystal over wide ranges of temperature and magnetic field (H), with either [Formula: see text]-axis or [Formula: see text]-plane. [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] unambiguously establish that the b-axis is the easy direction of magnetization whereas any direction in the ac-plane is a hard direction. The [Formula: see text]-type anomaly in 'zero-field' specific heat, C _p(T, H  =  0), and an abrupt drop in [Formula: see text] (characteristic of the paramagnetic (PM) - antiferromagnetic (AFM) phase transition) are observed at the Néel temperature, [Formula: see text] K. [Formula: see text] and C _p(T,H) clearly demonstrate that [Formula: see text] shifts to lower temperatures with increasing H irrespective of whether H points in the easy or hard direction. When [Formula: see text], the [Formula: see text] isotherms at temperatures in the range 2.5 K [Formula: see text] [Formula: see text] K reveal the existence of a field-induced spin-flop (SF) transition at fields 4.0 T [Formula: see text] [Formula: see text] [Formula: see text] 4.5 T. The first principles electronic band structure and density of states calculations, based on the density functional theory, correctly predict an AFM ground state (stabilized primarily by the 4f  Gd³⁺ - 5p  Te^2-- 4f  Gd³⁺ superexchange interactions) and the observed semi-metallic behavior for the Gd₂Te₃ compound. Moreover, these calculations yield the values [Formula: see text] [Formula: see text] for the ordered magnetic moment per Gd atom at T  =  0, [Formula: see text] mJ mol^-1 K^-2 for the Sommerfeld coefficient for the electronic specific heat contribution and [Formula: see text] K for the Curie-Weiss temperature, respectively. These theoretical estimates conform well with the corresponding experimental values [Formula: see text] [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text] mJ mol^-1 K^-2 and [Formula: see text] K.

Proximity-induced surface superconductivity in Dirac semimetal Cd3As2

Cd₃As₂ is a three-dimensional Dirac semimetal with separated Dirac points in momentum space. In spite of extensive transport and spectroscopic studies on its exotic properties, the evidence of superconductivity in its surface states remains elusive. Here, we report the observation of proximity-induced surface superconductivity in Nb/Cd₃As₂ hybrid structures. Our four-terminal transport measurement identifies a pronounced proximity-induced pairing gap (gap size comparable to Nb) on the surfaces, which exhibits a flat conductance plateau in differential conductance spectra, consistent with our theoretical simulations. The surface supercurrent from Nb/Cd₃As₂/Nb junctions is also achieved with a Fraunhofer/SQUID-like pattern under out-of-plane/in-plane magnetic fields, respectively. The resultant mapping shows a predominant distribution on the top and bottom surfaces as the bulk carriers are depleted, which can be regarded as a higher dimensional analog of edge supercurrent in two-dimensional quantum spin Hall insulators. Our study provides the evidence of surface superconductivity in Dirac semimetals.

Surface superconductivity in a Dirac semimetal remains rarely studied. Here, Huang and Zhou et al. report the evidence of proximity-induced surface superconductivity in a superconductor/Dirac semimetal hybrid system Nb/Cd₃As₂.

Ultrahigh conductivity in Weyl semimetal NbAs nanobelts

In two-dimensional (2D) systems, high mobility is typically achieved in low-carrier-density semiconductors and semimetals. Here, we discover that the nanobelts of Weyl semimetal NbAs maintain a high mobility even in the presence of a high sheet carrier density. We develop a growth scheme to synthesize single crystalline NbAs nanobelts with tunable Fermi levels. Owing to a large surface-to-bulk ratio, we argue that a 2D surface state gives rise to the high sheet carrier density, even though the bulk Fermi level is located near the Weyl nodes. A surface sheet conductance up to 5-100 S per □ is realized, exceeding that of conventional 2D electron gases, quasi-2D metal films, and topological insulator surface states. Corroborated by theory, we attribute the origin of the ultrahigh conductance to the disorder-tolerant Fermi arcs. The evidenced low-dissipation property of Fermi arcs has implications for both fundamental study and potential electronic applications.

Molecular Scaffold Growth of Two-Dimensional, Strong Interlayer-Bonding-Layered Materials

Currently, most two-dimensional (2D) materials that are of interest to emergent applications have focused on van der Waals–layered materials (VLMs) because of the ease with which the layers can be separated (e.g., graphene). Strong interlayer-bonding-layered materials (SLMs) in general have not been thoroughly explored, and one of the most critical present issues is the huge challenge of their preparation, although their physicochemical property transformation should be richer than VLMs and deserves greater attention. MAX phases are a classical kind of SLM. However, limited to the strong interlayer bonding, their corresponding 2D counterparts have never been obtained, nor has there been investigation of their fundamental properties in the 2D limitation. Here, the authors develop a controllable bottom-up synthesis strategy for obtaining 2D SLMs single crystal through the design of a molecular scaffold with Mo 2GaC, which is a typical kind of MAX phase, as an example. The superconducting transitions of Mo 2GaC at the 2D limit are clearly inherited from the bulk, which is consistent with Berezinskii–Kosterlitz–Thouless behavior. The authors believe that their molecular scaffold strategy will allow the fabrication of other high-quality 2D SLMs single crystals, which will further expand the family of 2D materials and promote their future application.

Dirac semimetal saturable absorber with actively tunable modulation depth

In this Letter, we demonstrate an electrically contacted saturable absorber (SA) device based on topological Dirac semimetal Cd₃As₂. With a current-induced temperature change in the range of 297-336 K, the modulation depth of the device is found to be significantly altered from 33% to 76% (under the irradiation of a 1560 nm femtosecond laser). The broad tuning of the modulation depth is attributed to the strong temperature dependence of the carrier concentration close to room temperature. The simple tuning mechanism uncovered here, together with the compatibility with III-V compounds substrate, such as GaAs, points to the potential of fabricating broadband, electrically tunable, SESAM-like devices based on emerging bulk Dirac materials.

Quantum Hall effect based on Weyl orbits in Cd3As2

Discovered decades ago, the quantum Hall effect remains one of the most studied phenomena in condensed matter physics and is relevant for research areas such as topological phases, strong electron correlations and quantum computing^1-5. The quantized electron transport that is characteristic of the quantum Hall effect typically originates from chiral edge states-ballistic conducting channels that emerge when two-dimensional electron systems are subjected to large magnetic fields². However, whether the quantum Hall effect can be extended to higher dimensions without simply stacking two-dimensional systems is unknown. Here we report evidence of a new type of quantum Hall effect, based on Weyl orbits in nanostructures of the three-dimensional topological semimetal Cd₃As₂. The Weyl orbits consist of Fermi arcs (open arc-like surface states) on opposite surfaces of the sample connected by one-dimensional chiral Landau levels along the magnetic field through the bulk^6,7. This transport through the bulk results in an additional contribution (compared to stacked two-dimensional systems and which depends on the sample thickness) to the quantum phase of the Weyl orbit. Consequently, chiral states can emerge even in the bulk. To measure these quantum phase shifts and search for the associated chiral modes in the bulk, we conduct transport experiments using wedge-shaped Cd₃As₂ nanostructures with variable thickness. We find that the quantum Hall transport is strongly modulated by the sample thickness. The dependence of the Landau levels on the magnitude and direction of the magnetic field and on the sample thickness agrees with theoretical predictions based on the modified Lifshitz-Onsager relation for the Weyl orbits. Nanostructures of topological semimetals thus provide a way of exploring quantum Hall physics in three-dimensional materials with enhanced tunability.

Signature of quantum Griffiths singularity state in a layered quasi-one-dimensional superconductor

Quantum Griffiths singularity was theoretically proposed to interpret the phenomenon of divergent dynamical exponent in quantum phase transitions. It has been discovered experimentally in three-dimensional (3D) magnetic metal systems and two-dimensional (2D) superconductors. But, whether this state exists in lower dimensional systems remains elusive. Here, we report the signature of quantum Griffiths singularity state in quasi-one-dimensional (1D) Ta2PdS5 nanowires. The superconducting critical field shows a strong anisotropic behavior and a violation of the Pauli limit in a parallel magnetic field configuration. Current-voltage measurements exhibit hysteresis loops and a series of multiple voltage steps in transition to the normal state, indicating a quasi-1D nature of the superconductivity. Surprisingly, the nanowire undergoes a superconductor-metal transition when the magnetic field increases. Upon approaching the zero-temperature quantum critical point, the system uncovers the signature of the quantum Griffiths singularity state arising from enhanced quenched disorders, where the dynamical critical exponent becomes diverging rather than being constant.

Inducing Strong Superconductivity in WTe2 by a Proximity Effect

The search for proximity-induced superconductivity in topological materials has generated widespread interest in the condensed matter physics community. The superconducting states inheriting nontrivial topology at interfaces are expected to exhibit exotic phenomena such as topological superconductivity and Majorana zero modes, which hold promise for applications in quantum computation. However, a practical realization of such hybrid structures based on topological semimetals and superconductors has hitherto been limited. Here, we report the strong proximity-induced superconductivity in type-II Weyl semimetal WTe₂, in a van der Waals hybrid structure obtained by mechanically transferring NbSe₂ onto various thicknesses of WTe₂. When the WTe₂ thickness ( t_WTe2) reaches 21 nm, the superconducting transition occurs around the critical temperature ( T_c) of NbSe₂ with a gap amplitude (Δ_p) of 0.38 meV and an unexpected ultralong proximity length ( l_p) up to 7 μm. With the thicker 42 nm WTe₂ layer, however, the proximity effect yields T_c ≈ 1.2 K, Δ_p = 0.07 meV, and a short l_p of less than 1 μm. Our theoretical calculations, based on the Bogoliubov-de Gennes equations in the clean limit, predict that the induced superconducting gap is a sizable fraction of the NbSe₂ superconducting one when t_WTe2 is less than 30 nm and then decreases quickly as t_WTe2 increases. This agrees qualitatively well with the experiments. Such observations form a basis in the search for superconducting phases in topological semimetals.

Towards the manipulation of topological states of matter: a perspective from electron transport

The introduction of topological invariants, ranging from insulators to metals, has provided new insights into the traditional classification of electronic states in condensed matter physics. A sudden change in the topological invariant at the boundary of a topological nontrivial system leads to the formation of exotic surface states that are dramatically different from its bulk. In recent years, significant advancements in the exploration of the physical properties of these topological systems and regarding device research related to spintronics and quantum computation have been made. Here, we review the progress of the characterization and manipulation of topological phases from the electron transport perspective and also the intriguing chiral/Majorana states that stem from them. We then discuss the future directions of research into these topological states and their potential applications.

Chiral Landau levels in Weyl semimetal NbAs with multiple topological carriers

Recently, Weyl semimetals have been experimentally discovered in both inversion-symmetry-breaking and time-reversal-symmetry-breaking crystals. The non-trivial topology in Weyl semimetals can manifest itself with exotic phenomena, which have been extensively investigated by photoemission and transport measurements. Despite the numerous experimental efforts on Fermi arcs and chiral anomaly, the existence of unconventional zeroth Landau levels, as a unique hallmark of Weyl fermions, which is highly related to chiral anomaly, remains elusive owing to the stringent experimental requirements. Here, we report the magneto-optical study of Landau quantization in Weyl semimetal NbAs. High magnetic fields drive the system toward the quantum limit, which leads to the observation of zeroth chiral Landau levels in two inequivalent Weyl nodes. As compared to other Landau levels, the zeroth chiral Landau level exhibits a distinct linear dispersion in magnetic field direction and allows the optical transitions without the limitation of zero z momentum or [Formula: see text] magnetic field evolution. The magnetic field dependence of the zeroth Landau levels further verifies the predicted particle-hole asymmetry of the Weyl cones. Meanwhile, the optical transitions from the normal Landau levels exhibit the coexistence of multiple carriers including an unexpected massive Dirac fermion, pointing to a more complex topological nature in inversion-symmetry-breaking Weyl semimetals. Our results provide insights into the Landau quantization of Weyl fermions and demonstrate an effective tool for studying complex topological systems.

Three-dimensional Dirac semimetal thin-film absorber for broadband pulse generation in the near-infrared

In this Letter, the transient nonlinear absorption of three-dimensional (3D) topological Dirac semimetal Cd₃As₂ thin film was characterized in the near-infrared band. By performing broadband pump-probe measurements, we experimentally proved that molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) grown Cd₃As₂ exhibits strong and tunable saturable absorption effects across 1-2 μm. By further inserting the Cd₃As₂ film into the cavities of Tm- and Er-doped fiber lasers, we obtained stable mode-locked operations at 1.96 and 1.56 μm. Our results experimentally establish that Cd₃As₂ is a promising broadband saturable absorber (SA) for pulsed lasers in the infrared range.

Superconductivity and magnetotransport of single-crystalline NbSe2 nanoplates grown by chemical vapour deposition

NbSe₂ is a typical transition metal dichalcogenide with a rich variety of electronic ground states existing in its nanostructures, including two-dimensional superconductivity and charge density wave. However, the direct growth of high-quality single-crystalline NbSe₂ nanostructures is still challenging, which limits their applications in electronic devices. Here, we report the growth of high-quality NbSe₂ nanoplates by a single-step chemical vapour deposition. Their temperature and magnetic-field dependent superconducting behaviors were investigated by four-terminal devices fabricated on individual nanostructures. The NbSe₂ nanoplates show two-dimensional characteristics of superconducting transitions and strong anisotropy with magnetic field orientation, providing potential platforms for the exploration of new physics in nanoelectronic devices.

Evolution of Weyl orbit and quantum Hall effect in Dirac semimetal Cd3As2

Owing to the coupling between open Fermi arcs on opposite surfaces, topological Dirac semimetals exhibit a new type of cyclotron orbit in the surface states known as Weyl orbit. Here, by lowering the carrier density in Cd3As2 nanoplates, we observe a crossover from multiple-frequency to single-frequency Shubnikov-de Haas (SdH) oscillations when subjected to out-of-plane magnetic field, indicating the dominant role of surface transport. With the increase of magnetic field, the SdH oscillations further develop into quantum Hall state with non-vanishing longitudinal resistance. By tracking the oscillation frequency and Hall plateau, we observe a Zeeman-related splitting and extract the Landau level index as well as sub-band number. Different from conventional two-dimensional systems, this unique quantum Hall effect may be related to the quantized version of Weyl orbits. Our results call for further investigations into the exotic quantum Hall states in the low-dimensional structure of topological semimetals.

Various and Tunable Transport Properties of WSe2 Transistor Formed by Metal Contacts

The abundant electronic and optical properties of 2D materials that are just one-atom thick pave the way for many novel electronic applications. One important application is to explore the band-to-band tunneling in the heterojunction built by different 2D materials. Here, a gate-controlled WSe₂ transistor is constructed by using different work function metals to form the drain (Pt) and source (Cr) electrodes. The device can be gate-modulated to exhibit three modes of operation, i.e., the tunneling mode with remarkable negative differential resistance, the transition mode with a second electron tunneling phenomenon for backward bias, and finally the conventional diode mode with rectifying characteristics. In contrast to the heterojunctions built by different 2D materials, these devices show significantly enhanced tunneling current by two orders of magnitude, which may largely benefit from the clean interfaces. These results pave the way toward design of novel electronic devices using the modulation of metal work functions.

Direct Observation of Landau Level Resonance and Mass Generation in Dirac Semimetal Cd3As2 Thin Films

Three-dimensional topological Dirac semimetals have hitherto stimulated unprecedented research interests as a new class of quantum materials. Breaking certain types of symmetries has been proposed to enable the manipulation of Dirac fermions, and that was soon realized by external modulations such as magnetic fields. However, an intrinsic manipulation of Dirac states, which is more efficient and desirable, remains a significant challenge. Here, we report a systematic study of quasi-particle dynamics and band evolution in Cd₃As₂ thin films with controlled chromium (Cr) doping by both magneto-infrared spectroscopy and electrical transport. We observe the √B relation of inter-Landau-level resonance in Cd₃As₂, an important signature of ultrarelativistic massless state inaccessible in previous optical experiments. A crossover from quantum to quasi-classical behavior makes it possible to directly probe the mass of Dirac fermions. Importantly, Cr doping allows for a Dirac mass acquisition and topological phase transition enabling a desired dynamic control of Dirac fermions. Corroborating with the density-functional theory calculations, we show that the mass generation can be explained by the explicit C₄ rotation symmetry breaking and the resultant Dirac gap engineering through Cr substitution for Cd atoms. The manipulation of the system symmetry and Dirac mass in Cd₃As₂ thin films provides a tuning knob to explore the exotic states stemming from the parent phase of Dirac semimetals.

Arrayed Van Der Waals Broadband Detectors for Dual-Band Detection

An advanced visible/infrared dual-band photodetector with high-resolution imaging at room temperature is proposed and demonstrated for intelligent identification based on the 2D GaSe/GaSb vertical heterostructure. It resolves the challenges of producing large-scale 2D growth, achieving fast response speed, outstanding detectivity, and lower manufacture cost, which are the main obstacles for industrialization of 2D-materials-based photodetection.

Tunable Positive to Negative Magnetoresistance in Atomically Thin WTe2

Transitional metal ditelluride WTe₂ has been extensively studied owing to its intriguing physical properties like nonsaturating positive magnetoresistance and being possibly a type-II Weyl semimetal. While surging research activities were devoted to the understanding of its bulk properties, it remains a substantial challenge to explore the pristine physics in atomically thin WTe₂. Here, we report a successful synthesis of mono- to few-layer WTe₂ via chemical vapor deposition. Using atomically thin WTe₂ nanosheets, we discover a previously inaccessible ambipolar behavior that enables the tunability of magnetoconductance of few-layer WTe₂ from weak antilocalization to weak localization, revealing a strong electrical field modulation of the spin-orbit interaction under perpendicular magnetic field. These appealing physical properties unveiled in this study clearly identify WTe₂ as a promising platform for exotic electronic and spintronic device applications.

Room-temperature chiral charge pumping in Dirac semimetals

Chiral anomaly, a non-conservation of chiral charge pumped by the topological nontrivial gauge fields, has been predicted to exist in Weyl semimetals. However, until now, the experimental signature of this effect exclusively relies on the observation of negative longitudinal magnetoresistance at low temperatures. Here, we report the field-modulated chiral charge pumping process and valley diffusion in Cd₃As₂. Apart from the conventional negative magnetoresistance, we observe an unusual nonlocal response with negative field dependence up to room temperature, originating from the diffusion of valley polarization. Furthermore, a large magneto-optic Kerr effect generated by parallel electric and magnetic fields is detected. These new experimental approaches provide a quantitative analysis of the chiral anomaly phenomenon which was inaccessible previously. The ability to manipulate the valley polarization in topological semimetal at room temperature opens up a route towards understanding its fundamental properties and utilizing the chiral fermions.

Magnetotransport signature of topological semimetal states has been observed but restricted at very low temperature. Here, Zhang et al. report magnetic field-modulated chiral charge pumping and valley diffusion in Cd₃As₂ up to room temperature.

Surface-energy engineered Bi-doped SnTe nanoribbons with weak antilocalization effect and linear magnetoresistance

The rational design of semiconductor nanocrystals with well-defined surfaces is a crucial step towards the realization of next-generation photodetectors, and thermoelectric and spintronic devices. SnTe nanocrystals, as an example, are particularly attractive as a type of topological crystalline insulator, where surface facets determine their surface states. However, most of the available SnTe nanocrystals are dominated by thermodynamically stable {100} facets, and it is challenging to grow uniform nanocrystals with {111} facets. In this study, guided by surface-energy calculations, we employ a chemical vapour deposition approach to fabricate Bi doped SnTe nanostructures, in which their surface facets are tuned by Bi doping. The obtained Bi doped SnTe nanoribbons with distinct {111} surfaces show a weak antilocalization effect and linear magnetoresistance under high magnetic fields, which demonstrate their great potential for future spintronic applications.

Tunable Ambipolar Polarization-Sensitive Photodetectors Based on High-Anisotropy ReSe2 Nanosheets

Atomically thin 2D-layered transition-metal dichalcogenides have been studied extensively in recent years because of their intriguing physical properties and promising applications in nanoelectronic devices. Among them, ReSe2 is an emerging material that exhibits a stable distorted 1T phase and strong in-plane anisotropy due to its reduced crystal symmetry. Here, the anisotropic nature of ReSe2 is revealed by Raman spectroscopy under linearly polarized excitations in which different vibration modes exhibit pronounced periodic variations in intensity. Utilizing high-quality ReSe2 nanosheets, top-gate ReSe2 field-effect transistors were built that show an excellent on/off current ratio exceeding 10(7) and a well-developed current saturation in the current-voltage characteristics at room temperature. Importantly, the successful synthesis of ReSe2 directly onto hexagonal boron nitride substrates has effectively improved the electron motility over 500 times and the hole mobility over 100 times at low temperatures. Strikingly, corroborating with our density-functional calculations, the ReSe2-based photodetectors exhibit a polarization-sensitive photoresponsivity due to the intrinsic linear dichroism originated from high in-plane optical anisotropy. With a back-gate voltage, the linear dichroism photodetection can be unambiguously tuned both in the electron and hole regime. The appealing physical properties demonstrated in this study clearly identify ReSe2 as a highly anisotropic 2D material for exotic electronic and optoelectronic applications.

Weak antilocalization in Cd3As2 thin films

Recently, it has been theoretically predicted that Cd3As2 is a three dimensional Dirac material, a new topological phase discovered after topological insulators, which exhibits a linear energy dispersion in the bulk with massless Dirac fermions. Here, we report on the low-temperature magnetoresistance measurements on a ~50 nm-thick Cd3As2 film. The weak antilocalization under perpendicular magnetic field is discussed based on the two-dimensional Hikami-Larkin-Nagaoka (HLN) theory. The electron-electron interaction is addressed as the source of the dephasing based on the temperature-dependent scaling behavior. The weak antilocalization can be also observed while the magnetic field is parallel to the electric field due to the strong interaction between the different conductance channels in this quasi-two-dimensional film.

Enhanced thermoelectric properties of the Dirac semimetal Cd3As2

The thermoelectric behavior of the Dirac semimetal Cd₃As₂can be much improved by electron or hole doping, especially the latter. The optimumZTis found to be about 0.5, much larger than that (0.15) obtained in pristine Cd₃As₂in experiments.

Magnetotransport Properties of Cd3As2 Nanostructures

Three-dimensional (3D) topological Dirac semimetal has a linear energy dispersion in 3D momentum space, and it can be viewed as an analogue of graphene. Extensive efforts have been devoted to the understanding of bulk materials, but yet it remains a challenge to explore the intriguing physics in low-dimensional Dirac semimetals. Here, we report on the synthesis of Cd3As2 nanowires and nanobelts and a systematic investigation of their magnetotransport properties. Temperature-dependent ambipolar behavior is evidently demonstrated, suggesting the presence of finite-size of bandgap in nanowires. Cd3As2 nanobelts, however, exhibit metallic characteristics with a high carrier mobility exceeding 32,000 cm(2) V(-1) s(-1) and pronounced anomalous double-period Shubnikov-de Haas (SdH) oscillations. Unlike the bulk counterpart, the Cd3As2 nanobelts reveal the possibility of unusual change of the Fermi sphere owing to the suppression of the dimensionality. More importantly, their SdH oscillations can be effectively tuned by the gate voltage. The successful synthesis of Cd3As2 nanostructures and their rich physics open up exciting nanoelectronic applications of 3D Dirac semimetals.

Scalable Growth of High Mobility Dirac Semimetal Cd3As2 Microbelts

Three-dimensional (3D) Dirac semimetals are 3D analogues of graphene, which display Dirac points with linear dispersion in k-space, stabilized by crystal symmetry. Cd3As2 has been predicted to be 3D Dirac semimetals and was subsequently demonstrated by angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy. As unveiled by transport measurements, several exotic phases, such as Weyl semimetals, topological insulators, and topological superconductors, can be deduced by breaking time reversal or inversion symmetry. Here, we reported a facile and scalable chemical vapor deposition method to fabricate high-quality Dirac semimetal Cd3As2 microbelts; they have shown ultrahigh mobility up to 1.15 × 10(5) cm(2) V(-1) s(-1) and pronounced Shubnikov-de Haas oscillations. Such extraordinary features are attributed to the suppression of electron backscattering. This research opens a new avenue for the scalable fabrication of Cd3As2 materials toward exciting electronic applications of 3D Dirac semimetals.

Controllable Growth of Vertical Heterostructure GaTe(x)Se(1-x)/Si by Molecular Beam Epitaxy

Two dimensional (2D) alloys, especially transition metal dichalcogenides, have attracted intense attention owing to their band-gap tunability and potential optoelectrical applications. Here, we report the controllable synthesis of wafer-scale, few-layer GaTexSe1-x alloys (0 ≤ x ≤ 1) by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE). We achieve a layer-by-layer growth mode with uniform distribution of Ga, Te, and Se elements across 2 in. wafers. Raman spectroscopy was carried out to explore the composition-dependent vibration frequency of phonons, which matches well with the modified random-element-isodisplacement model. Highly efficient photodiode arrays were also built by depositing few-layer GaTe0.64Se0.36 on n-type Si substrates. These p-n junctions have steady rectification characteristics with a rectifying ratio exceeding 300 and a high external quantum efficiency around 50%. We further measured more devices on MBE-grown GaTexSe1-x/Si heterostructures across the full range to explore the composition-dependent external quantum efficiency. Our study opens a new avenue for the controllable growth of 2D alloys with wafer-scale homogeneity, which is a prominent challenge in 2D material research.

Spin-Valve Effect in NiFe/MoS2/NiFe Junctions

Two-dimensional (2D) layered transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) have been recently proposed as appealing candidate materials for spintronic applications owing to their distinctive atomic crystal structure and exotic physical properties arising from the large bonding anisotropy. Here we introduce the first MoS2-based spin-valves that employ monolayer MoS2 as the nonmagnetic spacer. In contrast with what is expected from the semiconducting band-structure of MoS2, the vertically sandwiched-MoS2 layers exhibit metallic behavior. This originates from their strong hybridization with the Ni and Fe atoms of the Permalloy (Py) electrode. The spin-valve effect is observed up to 240 K, with the highest magnetoresistance (MR) up to 0.73% at low temperatures. The experimental work is accompanied by the first principle electron transport calculations, which reveal an MR of ∼9% for an ideal Py/MoS2/Py junction. Our results clearly identify TMDs as a promising spacer compound in magnetic tunnel junctions and may open a new avenue for the TMDs-based spintronic applications.