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Excitons in van der Waals magnetic materials

Adak, Pratap Chandra [City University of New York (CUNY), NY (United States)] (ORCID:000000034719161X)·Dirnberger, Florian [Technische Univ. München, Garching (Germany); Technical University of Munich (Germany)] (ORCID:0000000229322850)·Acharya, Swagata [National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR), Golden, CO (United States)] (ORCID:0000000180740030)·Kamra, Akashdeep [Rheinland-Pfälzische Technische Universität Kaiserslautern-Landau (Germany)] (ORCID:0000000307431076)·Xu, Xiaodong [University of Washington, Seattle, WA (United States)] (ORCID:0000000303482095)·Menon, Vinod M. [City University of New York (CUNY), NY (United States)] (ORCID:0000000297256445)
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Abstract

Two-dimensional magnetic semiconductors provide a unique platform where long-range magnetic order coexists with strongly bound excitons. Because excitonic states and magnetic moments originate from the same electronic orbitals and couple via intrinsic exchange interactions, optical excitations in these systems exhibit pronounced sensitivity to magnetic order. Recent experiments show unusually strong magneto-optical responses and direct exciton–magnon coupling, establishing new routes for controlling light–matter interactions with spin degrees of freedom. Here, this Review surveys key developments, focusing on representative material systems, experimental signatures, and theoretical frameworks used to describe these phenomena. We conclude with perspectives on how this rapidly evolving field could enable next-generation optoelectronic and quantum technologies leveraging the coupled dynamics of light, charge and spin.

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36 MATERIALS SCIENCEexcitonsmagnetsvan der Waals magnetic surfaces

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Adak, Pratap Chandra [City University of New York (CUNY), NY (United States)] (ORCID:000000034719161X), Dirnberger, Florian [Technische Univ. München, Garching (Germany); Technical University of Munich (Germany)] (ORCID:0000000229322850), Acharya, Swagata [National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR), Golden, CO (United States)] (ORCID:0000000180740030), Kamra, Akashdeep [Rheinland-Pfälzische Technische Universität Kaiserslautern-Landau (Germany)] (ORCID:0000000307431076), Xu, Xiaodong [University of Washington, Seattle, WA (United States)] (ORCID:0000000303482095), Menon, Vinod M. [City University of New York (CUNY), NY (United States)] (ORCID:0000000297256445). 2026-07-03. Excitons in van der Waals magnetic materials. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41563-026-02636-0

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