Controllable growth of large 1T-NbTe2 nanosheets on mica by chemical vapor deposition and its magnetic properties

Two-dimensional (2D) magnetic materials have recently attracted broad attention for their potential technological applications. Here, we report controllable growth of NbTe₂ nanosheets on mica substrate by atmospheric chemical vapor deposition. Different from the SiO₂/Si substrates, dangling bonds on the surface of the mica are absent, which induces low nucleation density and higher lateral growth rate. As a result, the lateral size of NbTe₂ nanosheets on mica substrates can be significantly larger than those on SiO₂/Si substrates. Large single crystal NbTe₂ nanosheets with a lateral size of up to 151 µm were fabricated on a mica. High-resolution transmission electron microscope image, XRD patterns and Raman spectra reveal the NbTe₂ nanosheets adopt the single crystal with 1T phase. Furthermore, the NbTe₂ nanosheets on mica demonstrate ferromagnetic properties with a Curie temperature of up to 162 K. Our work paves the way for the atmospheric chemical vapor deposition growth and applications of many more 2D magnets.