Ferrovalley and topology are two basic concepts in both fundamental research fields and emerging device applications. So far, reports are extremely scarce regarding the coupling of these two scenarios in a single material system. By first-principles calculations and Monte Carlo simulations, we predict a highly stable intrinsic ferrovalley $2H\text{−}{\mathrm{RuCl}}_{\text{2}}$ semiconductor with an easy out-of-plane magnetization and a high Curie temperature of 260 K. Due to the combination of exchange interaction and spin-orbit coupling, the system exhibits a spontaneous valley polarization of 240 meV in the top valence band, which is further confirmed by a first-order perturbation theory. Moreover, its out-of-plane ferromagnetic ordering can remain rather robust and survive up to 547 K under $-5$% compressive strain well above room temperature. On the other hand, the application of tensile strain can drive the system from the ferrovalley phase into a half-valley-metal state with 100% spin and valley polarizations, followed then by a quantum anomalous Hall (QAH) phase in support of scarce high-temperature QAH effect. Beyond around 2% tensile strain, the system is switched to the in-plane magnetization. If the magnetization is steered to the out-of-plane direction through overcoming the magnetic anisotropy energy barriers, the system is further transitioned from the QAH phase to another half-valley-metal state with the rise of tensile strain, and finally restores to the initial ferrovalley phase. Once synthesized, monolayer $2H\text{−}{\mathrm{RuCl}}_{\text{2}}$ would find many important applications in spintronic, valleytronic, and topological electronic nanodevices.

• Received 31 March 2022
• Revised 4 May 2022
• Accepted 23 May 2022

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.105.195312