Lightning the Spin: Harnessing the Potential of 2D Magnets in Opto‐Spintronics

Since the emergence of 2D magnets in 2017, the diversity of these materials has greatly expanded. Their 2D nature (atomic‐scale thickness) endows these magnets with strong magnetic anisotropy, layer‐dependent and switchable magnetic order, and quantum‐confined quasiparticles, which distinguish them from conventional 3D magnetic materials. Moreover, the 2D geometry facilitates light incidence for opto‐spintronic applications and potential on‐chip integration. In analogy to optoelectronics based on optical–electronic interactions, opto‐spintronics use light‐spin interactions to process spin information stored in the solid state. In this review, opto‐spintronics is divided into three types with respect to the wavelengths of radiation interacting with 2D magnets: 1) GHz (microwave) to THz (mid‐infrared), 2) visible, and 3) UV to X‐rays. It is focused on the recent research advancements on the newly discovered mechanisms of light‐spin interactions in 2D magnets and introduces the potential design of novel opto‐spintronic applications based on these interactions.