Physics

Nanotechnology

Engineering physics

Heterojunction

Optics

van der Waals force

Magnet

Focus (optics)

Materials science

Condensed matter physics

Molecule

Quantum mechanics

Nature Nanotechnology

The family of two-dimensional (2D) materials grows day by day, hugely expanding the scope of possible phenomena to be explored in two dimensions, as well as the possible van der Waals (vdW) heterostructures that one can create. Such 2D materials currently cover a vast range of properties. Until recently, this family has been missing one crucial member: 2D magnets. The situation has changed over the past 2 years with the introduction of a variety of atomically thin magnetic crystals. Here we will discuss the difference between magnetic states in 2D materials and in bulk crystals and present an overview of the 2D magnets that have been explored recently. We will focus on the case of the two most studied systems—semiconducting CrI3 and metallic Fe3GeTe2—and illustrate the physical phenomena that have been observed. Special attention will be given to the range of new van der Waals heterostructures that became possible with the appearance of 2D magnets, offering new perspectives in this rapidly expanding field. Until recently, the family of 2D materials was missing one crucial member — 2D magnets. This Review presents an overview of the 2D magnets studied so far and of the heterostructures that can be realized by combining them with other 2D materials.

Magnetic 2D materials and heterostructures