Generating two-dimensional ferromagnetic charge density waves via external fields

Abstract

Two-dimensional (2D) ferromagnetic charge density wave (CDW), an exotic quantum state for exploring the intertwining effect between correlated charge and spin orders in 2D limit, has not been discovered in the experiments yet. Here, we propose a feasible strategy to realize 2D ferromagnetic CDWs under external fields, which is demonstrated in monolayer VSe$_2$ using first-principles calculations. Under external tensile strain, two novel ferromagnetic CDWs ($\sqrt{3}$$\times$$\sqrt{3}$ and 2$\times2\sqrt{3}$ CDWs) can be generated, accompanied by distinguishable lattice reconstructions of magnetic V atoms. Remarkably, because the driving forces for generating these two ferromagnetic CDWs are strongly spin-dependent, fundamentally different from that in conventional CDWs, the $\sqrt{3}$$\times$$\sqrt{3}$ and 2$\times2\sqrt{3}$ CDWs can exhibit two dramatically different half-metallic phases under a large strain range, along with either a flat band or a Dirac cone around Fermi level. Our proposed strategy and material demonstration may open a door to generate and manipulate correlation effect between collective charge and spin orders via external fields.