Summary: UCLA researchers in the Department of Chemistry have developed a general cation-exchange approach for tunable magnetic intercalation superlattices.
Background: Layered materials are crucial for engineering quantum and magnetic phenomena at the atomic scale. Magnetic intercalation superlattices, a type of layered materials, enable tunable magnetic properties, spin textures, and exchange coupling which are key capabilities for next-generation devices in quantum computing, spintronics, and more. However, current methods of constructing magnetic intercalation superlattices are limited in tunability, require high-temperature synthesis, and have narrow applicability. Thus, there is a need for a general approach that facilitates low-temperature, modular, and tunable fabrication of magnetic intercalation superlattices.
Innovation: Researchers at UCLA have developed a novel cation-exchange platform for constructing magnetic intercalation superlattices with tunable ferromagnetism, broad applicability, and the rare coexistence of ferromagnetic and superconducting properties at room temperature. Leveraging intercalation between van der Waals gaps provides precise flexibility of doping concentrations, enabling highly tunable magnetic coupling. This approach is compatible with a variety of cations and has been successfully demonstrated with VIB group materials, greatly expanding the versatility of magnetic intercalation superlattices. Despite ferromagnetism and superconducting properties conventionally being antagonistic, one of the superlattices exhibits behavior indicative of these properties coexisting, suggesting the existence of novel quantum states. Moreover, variable intercalation concentration preserves ferromagnetic semiconductor properties at room temperature, allowing practical applications outside of a laboratory setting. This broadly applicable approach enables the integration of diverse atomic intercalants into a wide spectrum of 2D atomic crystals—including Weyl semimetals, topological insulators, ferroelectrics, and superconductors—facilitating the design of a versatile library of engineered quantum materials that exhibit multiple emergent quantum phenomena. In conclusion, these innovations lay the groundwork for commercially viable quantum and spintronic technologies by offering a broad, tunable, and novel approach for next-generation layered materials.
Potential Applications: ● Spintronics ○ MRAM ○ Spin transistors ○ Magnetic tunnel junctions ● Quantum Computing/Sensing ● Efficient Electronics ○ Neuromorphic computing ● Next-gen communication/RF
Advantages: ● Precise tunability ● Room-temperature functionality ● Broad compatibility ● Exotic quantum states ● Configurable ● Excellent stability
Development-To-Date: First successful demonstration of the invention
Related Papers:
Zhou, J., Zhou, J., Wan, Z. et al. A cation-exchange approach to tunable magnetic intercalation superlattices. Nature 643, 683–690 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-025-09147-z
Wan, Z., Qian, Q., Huang, Y. et al. Layered hybrid superlattices as designable quantum solids. Nature 635, 49–60 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-024-07858-3
Reference: UCLA Case No. 2025-9A1
Lead Inventors: Xiangfeng Duan, Yu Huang