Evidence Of Spin-Phonon Coupling In Crsite3

We present Raman scattering results on the layered semiconducting ferromagnetic compound CrSiTe3. Four Raman-active modes, predicted by symmetry, are observed and assigned. The experimental results are supported by density functional theory calculations. The self-energies of the A(g)(3) and the E-g(3) symmetry modes exhibit unconventional temperature evolution around 180 K. In addition, the doubly degenerate E-g(3) mode shows a clear change of asymmetry in the same temperature region. The observed behavior is consistent with the presence of the previously reported short-range magnetic order and strong spin-phonon coupling.