Coupling of magnetic and lattice collective excitations in the two-dimensional van der Waals antiferromagnet
Phys. Rev. B 113, 235124 – Published 15 June, 2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/fwb8-fwjb
Abstract
We combine polarized infrared magnetotransmission and Faraday angle rotation measurements to map the collective excitations of the van der Waals antiferromagnet . Below the Néel temperature (), the phonon spectrum becomes strongly anisotropic, reflecting the underlying zigzag antiferromagnetic order. In contrast, a prominent excitation at (15 meV) is polarization-independent, hardens on cooling, and splits linearly with magnetic field, identifying its magnetic origin. From absolute transmission and Faraday rotation, we reconstruct the circular optical conductivities and reveal a pronounced dichroism of the field-split excitations. The upper branch near exhibits a reduced dichroic response, consistent with hybridization with a nearby infrared phonon. Several phonon modes exhibit sizable Faraday rotation, providing evidence for spin-phonon coupling and demonstrating that lattice vibrations acquire magnetic-field-dependent optical activity. In addition, additional excitations appear in the infrared spectra and a broad midinfrared feature near emerges only below , consistent with a modified lattice response in the magnetic state. These results highlight the anisotropic nature of spin-phonon coupling in and establish polarization-resolved magneto-optical spectroscopy as a powerful probe of coupled spin and lattice dynamics in two-dimensional antiferromagnets.