Magnetism and Distortions in Transition-Metal Dioxide Layers: On the Quest for Intrinsic Magnetic Semiconductor Layers

Future nanoscale technological applications in spintronics require research on two dimensional materials with combined semiconductor and magnetic properties. We investigate transition metal dioxides in the form of layers, and report on the structural and electronic properties of selected late transition metal d-elements. With half-filled d states, the MnO₂ and TcO₂ layers are magnetic semiconductors, and for side d-elements the CrO₂ and FeO₂ layers become half-metals. These magnetic materials in 2D must be synthesized in order to assess their usefulness in future electronic and spintronic devices.