Probing the band splitting near the $Γ$ point in the van der Waals magnetic semiconductor CrSBr

Abstract: This study investigates the electronic band structure of Chromium Sulfur Bromide (CrSBr) through comprehensive photoluminescence (PL) characterization. We clearly identify low-temperature optical transitions between two closely adjacent conduction-band states and two different valence-band states. The analysis of the PL data robustly unveils energy splittings, bandgaps and excitonic transitions across different thicknesses of CrSBr, ranging from monolayer to bulk. Temperature-dependent PL measurements elucidate the stability of the band splitting below the N\'eel temperature, suggesting that magnons coupled with excitons are responsible for the symmetry breaking and brightening of the transitions from the secondary conduction band minimum (CBM2) to the global valence band maximum (VBM1). Collectively, these results not only reveal band splitting in both the conduction and valence bands, but also point to an intricate interplay between the optical, electronic and magnetic properties of antiferromagnetic two-dimensional van der Waals crystals.