One-dimensional magnetic chains in sub-monolayer CrTe2 grown on NbSe2

Abstract

Abstract Magnetic/superconducting heterostructures have attracted significant attention due to their potential to host topological superconductivity and Majorana zero modes. In this study, we report the growth of CrTe2 ultrathin films on NbSe2 substrates through molecular beam epitaxy. Structural characterization revealed an initial epitaxial stabilization of a compressed Cr–Te layer, with subsequent annealing inducing a periodic stress-relief reconstruction that exhibits controllable nanoscale periodicity. Scanning tunneling spectroscopy measurements unveiled edge-localized magnetic moments. This system provides a novel platform for constructing one-dimensional magnetic chains through strain-modulated self-assembly, while simultaneously offering an atomically precise interface between magnetic and superconducting orders. Our findings advance the prospects for designing the heterostructures in topological quantum devices.