Nitrogen-Vacancy Magnetometry of Edge Magnetism in WS2 Flakes

Two-dimentional magnets are of significant interest both as a platform for exploring novel fundamental physics and for their potential in spintronic and optoelectronic devices. Recent bulk magnetometry studies have indicated a weak ferromagnetic response in tungsten disulfide (WS₂), and theoretical predictions suggest edge-localized magnetization in flakes with partial hydrogenation. Here, room-temperature wide-field quantum diamond magnetometry to image pristine and Fe-implanted WS₂ flakes of varying thicknesses (45–160 nm), exfoliated from bulk crystals and transferred to NV-doped diamond substrates, is used. Direct evidence of edge-localized stray magnetic fields, which scale linearly with applied external magnetic field (4.4–220 mT), reaching up to ±4.7 µT, is observed. The edge signal shows a limited dependence on the flake thickness, consistent with dipolar field decay and sensing geometry. Magnetic simulations using five alternative models favor the presence of edge magnetization aligned along an axis slightly tilted from the normal to the WS₂ flake's plane, consistent with spin canting in antiferromagnetically coupled edge states. Thses findings establish WS₂ as a promising platform for edge-controlled 2D spintronics.