Enhanced Antiferromagnetic Phase in Metastable Self-Intercalated Cr$_{1+x}$Te$_2$ Compounds

Abstract: Magnetic transition-metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) have been of particular interest due to their unique magnetic properties and layered structure that can be promising for a wide range of spintronic applications. One of the most exciting compounds in this family of magnets is chromium telluride, Cr${1+x}$Te$_2$, which has shown rich magnetic phases with varied Cr concentrations. An emergent antiferromagnetic (AFM) ordering has been found in Cr${1.25}$Te$2$ (equivalently, Cr${5}$Te$8$), which is induced by intercalating 0.25 Cr atom per unit cell within the van der Waals (vdW) gaps of CrTe$_2$. In this work, we report an increased N\'eel Temperature ($T\mathrm{N}$) of the AFM phase in Cr$_{1+x}$Te$_2$ by slightly reducing the concentration of Cr intercalants. Moreover, the intercalated Cr atoms form a metastable 2$\times$2 supercell structure that can be manipulated by electron beam irradiation. This work offers a promising approach to tuning magnetic and structural properties by adjusting the concentration of self-intercalated magnetic atoms.