Strain Tuning of Magnetic Order in Two-dimensional Magnets

The recent discovery of two-dimensional (2D) van der Waals magnetic materials has received growing attention. Of particular interest are the thickness-dependent magnetic ground states in atomically thin CrI₃. The competing ferromagnetic and anti-ferromagnetic interlayer exchange interactions result in a competing magnetic order that is sensitive to external perturbations including magnetic field, electrostatic gating, and hydrostatic pressure. Here we demonstrate that the magnetic order in 2D CrI₃ can also be effectively tuned by applying in-plane strain. Our result demonstrates the potential for the application of 2D magnets in spin-mechanical devices.