Emergent magnetic-nonmagnetic transition in strain-tuned zigzag-edged PtSe2 nanoribbon

Magnetic responses in nonmagnetic transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) via reduced dimension and defect engineering continue to bring forth emergent properties and has revolutionized important technologies such as data storage and magnetic sensing. Using the first-principles calculation, we investigate the zigzag-edged PtSe2 (zz-PtSe2) nanoribbon with a sizable magnetization solely at the zigzag edges and a remarkable magnetic-nonmagnetic switching induced by a small compressive uniaxial strain of about -2%. We further interpret the sudden disappearance of the magnetization by a simple but clear model simulation considering the localized quasi-one-dimensional magnetic channels mediated by metallic backgrounds along the edges. Such newly proposed strain-controlled magnetic transition through band structure engineering highlights zz-PtSe2 as a unique candidate for controllable TMD-based one-dimensional magnets with promising advances in fundamental physics and technological opportunities in spintronics, computing, and sensors.