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Magnetic order in the van der Waals magnet
Phys. Rev. B 113, 094428 – Published 13 March, 2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/fj11-mwxv
Abstract
We investigated the structural and magnetic properties of single-crystalline , a newly synthesized member of the vanadium trihalide family. High-quality single crystals were grown by the chemical vapor transport method, and their behavior was characterized using neutron diffraction and thermodynamic measurements. We show that crystallizes in the -type structure at room temperature and undergoes a structural phase transition at that lowers the lattice symmetry, followed by a zigzag antiferromagnetic order with a propagation vector below . Neutron diffraction experiments indicate that the ordered moments are canted by approximately away from the axis toward the axis, yielding a total moment of approximately . Field-dependent magnetization along the axis exhibits a half magnetization plateau, indicative of a field-stabilized fractional state. These results establish as a new platform for exploring structural transitions, anisotropic magnetism, and field-induced phases in vanadium-based honeycomb magnets.