Lightning the Spin: Harnessing the Potential of 2D Magnets in Opto-Spintronics.

Since the emergence of two-dimensional (2D) magnets in 2017, the diversity of these materials has greatly expanded. Their 2D nature (atomic-scale thickness) endows these magnets with strong magnetic anisotropy, layer-dependent and switchable magnetic order, and quantum-confined quasiparticles, which distinguish them from conventional three-dimensional (3D) magnetic materials. Moreover, the 2D geometry facilitates light incidence for opto-spintronic applications and potential on-chip integration. In analogy to optoelectronics based on optical-electronic interactions, opto-spintronics use light-spin interactions to process spin information stored in the solid state. In this review, we divide opto-spintronics into three types with respect to the wavelengths of radiation interacting with 2D magnets: (1) GHz (microwave) to THz (mid-infrared), (2) visible, and (3) UV to X-rays. We focus on the recent research advancements on the newly discovered mechanisms of light-spin interactions in 2D magnets and introduce the potential design of novel opto-spintronic applications based on these interactions. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.