Synthesis of magnetic 1D dichalcogenide nanostructures

We report the first synthesis of magnetic one-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides. Pure and Mn-doped tantalum disulfide nanotapes were synthesized using a catalyst-free single-step growth process. The sample yield of nanostructures was nearly 100 %. The nanotapes were composed of a number of smaller nanowires which appear to be open-ended nanotubes. The smaller nanowires have diameters ranging from about 30 to 300 nm. The Mn dopants were incorporated within intercalation sites between TaS2 layers. Interactions between these dopant ions induced low temperature magnetic phase transitions similar to those seen in macroscopic Mn x TaS2 compounds. The magnetic properties do not exactly correspond to their bulk counterparts, as exemplified by a higher than expected ferromagnetic transition temperature in 1D nanostructures. This indicates the magnetic properties are likely influenced by quantum size effects. The simplicity of this one-step synthesis method should allow for this technique to be extended to other dichalcogenide systems and/or magnetic dopants, opening up a new class of 1D magnetic nanostructures.