In recent years, numerous magnetic van der Waals layered quantum materials have been reported, including transition-metal halides, transition-metal chalcogenides, transition-metal phosphorus chalcogenides, and metal oxy- and chalco-halides. Unlike 3D counterparts, layered magnets can be easily and rapidly exfoliated to yield ultra-thin magnets, providing unique opportunities for both fundamental physics and new technologies. Furthermore, these materials enable unprecedented experimental access to the ground states, fundamental excitations, and magnon dynamics, as they are highly susceptible to external stimuli. In this talk, I will present and discuss our recent findings in tuning the magnetic properties of quasi-2D layered van der Waals quantum magnets by intercalation, photoexcitation, proton irradiation, and by the application of pressure. If time permits, I will briefly discuss our recent efforts in solving the problems related to energy materials by employing magnetometry and electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy. NSF, NRC, ACS PRF, and DOE supported this work.

Some recent publications from our group:

1. Dynamic signatures of spin-lattice coupling in the layered ferrimagnet Mn₃Si₂Te₆, npj Spintronics, 3, 1 (2025).
2. Spin-phonon coupling and magnetic transition in an organic molecule intercalated Cr2Ge2Te6, Nano Letters., 24, 9169 (2024).
3. Proton-fluence dependent magnetic properties of exfoliable quasi-2D van der Waals Cr2Si2Te6 magnet, Phys.: Condens. Matter 36 (2024) 225801.
4. Spin-Selective Oxygen Evolution Reaction in Chiral Iron Oxide Nanoparticles: Synergistic Impact of Inherent Magnetic Moment and Chirality, Nano Letters 23, 9042 (2023).
5. Magnetic Properties of intercalated quasi-2D Fe_3-xGeTe₂ van der Waals magnet, npj 2D Materials and Applications (2023) 7:56.
6. Pressure-Dependent Magnetic Properties of Quasi-2D Cr2Si2Te6 and Mn3Si2Te6, J. Phys. Chem. C 127, 10324 (2023).
7. Helicity-Dependent Coherent Spin-Phonon Oscillations in the Ferromagnetic van der Waals Crystal CrI_3, Nature Communications, 13, 4473 (2022).
8. Pressure dependent magnetic properties on bulk CrBr₃ single crystals, Journal of Alloys and Compounds 911, 165034 (2022).
9. Light Induced Electron Spin Resonance Properties of van der Waals CrX₃ (X = Cl, I) Crystals, Applied Physics Letters 117, 082406 (2020).
10. Enhanced magnetization in proton irradiated, Mn3Si2Te6 van der Waals crystals, Appl. Phys. Lett. 116, 172404 (2020)
11. Coherent Spin-Phonon Coupling in the Layered Ferrimagnet Mn3Si2Te6, arXiv:2308.14931v1 (submitted, 2025).
12. Room Temperature Spontaneous Pt Reduction on Defective BN for Single Atom Catalysis: A promising scalable, robust, low-cost, and efficient catalytic alternative to bulk Pt, Materials Today 51, 108 (2021).
13. Critical phenomena of the layered ferrimagnet Mn3Si2Te6 following proton irradiation, J. Appl. Phys. 130, 013902 (2021).
14. 2D correlations in the van der Waals ferromagnet CrBr3 using high frequency electron spin resonance spectroscopy, J. Appl. Phys. 129, 233902 (2021).
15. Magnetic and electrocatalytic properties of transition metal doped MoS2 nanocrystals, Journal of Applied Physics 124, 153903 (2018).
16. Paramagnetic Defects in Hydrothermally Grown Few-Layered MoS2 Nanocrystals, Journal of Materials Research (Invited) 33, 1565 (2018).
17. Antiferromagnetism and the emergence of frustration in saw-tooth lattice Mn2SiS4-xSex (x = 0-4) chalcogenides, Phys. Rev. B 99, 184434 (2019).