Electronic and magnetic properties of vanadium dichalcogenides: A brief overview on theory and experiment

Abstract

Two-dimensional layered materials, in general, and transition metal dichalcogenides, in particular, are promising as future device materials. Vanadium based dichalcogenides, i.e., VX2 (X = S, Se, and Te) are special in the class for showing a wide range of intriguing properties. Depending on the structural phases, VX2 can be metallic or semiconducting. The T-phase, i.e., the metallic one, is well known to host some exotic electronic properties like the charge density wave, anomalous Hall effect, ferromagnetism, etc., having strong bearing as an electronic device material. The H-phase, on the other hand, is also predicted to show ferromagnetism. The materials show properties strongly dependent on their physical dimensionality, a clear manifestation of quantum confinement effects. Several experimental attempts successfully demonstrated chemical and bio-medical applications also of this class of materials. Moreover, the heterostructures formed by VX2 with other electronically dissimilar materials could bring more variation in their existing properties. Therefore, the study of VX2 materials provides a fertile ground to explore several fascinating physical phenomena and their possibilities in future applications. Here, in the present paper, we have tried to review the current scenario in this particular field by highlighting some recent key findings. The paper is aimed at providing some insight into the recent theoretical and experimental achievements in this direction, especially in the context of electronic and magnetic properties in their lower physical dimensionality. This could furnish a comprehensive guiding tour toward exploration in the journey through VX2 materials.