A research team from National Taiwan University has achieved a significant breakthrough in the study of two-dimensional ferromagnetic materials, observing for the first time the synergistic effects of charge, spin, and many-body interactions at the atomic scale. This research, published in Nature Communications, provides a new perspective for quantum materials research.

The team focused on the novel two-dimensional ferromagnetic material Fe₅GeTe₂, using high-resolution scanning tunneling microscopy to observe the simultaneous presence of three quantum phenomena: charge density waves, the Kondo effect, and ferromagnetism. Notably, these quantum states exhibited a synchronized spatial pattern in a √3×√3 superlattice.

"This is the first direct experimental proof of the coupling of charge, spin, and many-body effects at the atomic scale in a room-temperature two-dimensional ferromagnet," said Professor Ya-Ping Chiu. The uniqueness of Fe₅GeTe₂ lies in the dual role of its iron atoms' electrons, which simultaneously participate in magnetic ordering and electrical conduction, facilitating distinctive interactions among quantum states.

This discovery challenges the traditional view in quantum materials research that electromagnetic effects are independent, providing a theoretical foundation for the development of multifunctional quantum devices. The research team plans to explore the potential applications of this synergistic effect in spintronic devices as the next step.