Tuning the magnetic properties of van der Waals materials by intercalation

Recent advances in low-dimensional spintronic devices have resulted in an increased demand for layered van der Waals materials with tunable magnetic properties. To this end, intercalation – the insertion of a guest species in the van der Waals gap between the planes of the host material – proves to be a versatile tool. In this review, we discuss various forms of intercalation that allow for tuning the magnetic properties of van der Waals materials. We focus on alkali metal, transition metal and molecule intercalation, and provide an extensive overview of current research efforts. Furthermore, we highlight typical challenges that materials scientists face in this field, and provide suggestions for future research directions.