Strain-Driven Switching of Easy Magnetization Axis in a Ferromagnetic Semiconductor LaBr2 Monolayer

The precise manipulation of magnetic anisotropy in spintronic systems exhibits revolutionary potential for next-generation technologies. However, achieving deterministic control at the atomic scale faces critical bottlenecks due to the intricate interplay among spin–orbit coupling, interfacial symmetry breaking, and thermal fluctuations. Here, based on first-principles calculations, we demonstrate effective the control of the easy magnetization axis for the LaBr 2 monolayer by using strain engineering. The result shows that the biaxial compressive strain induces a fundamental transition of the easy magnetization axis from in-plane ( xy plane) to out-of-plane ( z axis). This change in easy magnetization axis stems from the strain-modulated orbital coupling between occupied and unoccupied d xy / d x 2 –y 2 orbital states in La atom, which alters the energy splitting between competing magnetic anisotropy configurations. Our findings establish a viable pathway for engineering magnetic anisotropy in two-dimensional systems through lattice deformation, enabling potential applications in strain-controlled spintronic devices.