Axion Insulator State in a Ferromagnet/Topological Insulator/Antiferromagnet Heterostructure

Abstract

We propose to use ferromagnetic insulator MnBi2Se4/Bi2Se3/antiferromagnetic insulator Mn2Bi2Se5 heterostructures for the realization of the axion insulator state. Importantly, the axion insulator state in such heterostructures only depends on the magnetization of the ferromagnetic insulator and hence can be observed in a wide range of external magnetic field. Using density functional calculations and model Hamiltonian simulations, we find that the top and bottom surfaces have opposite half-quantum Hall conductance, with a sizable global spin gap of 5.1 meV opened for the topological surface states of Bi2Se3. Our work provides a new strategy for the search of axion insulators by using van der Waals antiferromagnetic insulators along with three-dimensional topological insulators.

4 figures, 23 pages,supplementary material added

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Cited by in corpus (12)

• Topological Electronic Structure and Its Temperature Evolution in Antiferromagnetic Topological Insulator MnBi2Te4
• Large dynamical axion field in topological antiferromagnetic insulator Mn${}_2$Bi${}_2$Te${}_5$
• Multifunctional Two-dimensional van der Waals Janus Magnet Cr-based Dichalcogenide Halides
• Magnetic Properties and Electronic Structure of Magnetic Topological Insulator MnBi${}_2$Se${}_4$
• Intrinsic topological phases in Mn${}_2$Bi${}_2$Te${}_5$ tuned by the layer magnetization
• Interfacial Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya Interaction of Antiferromagnetic Materials
• Axion Insulator State with ferromagnetic ordering in CrI3/Bi2Se3/MnBi2Se4 Heterostructure
• Magnetic Anisotropy in Two-dimensional van der Waals Magnetic Materials and Their Heterostructures: Importance, Mechanisms, and Opportunities
• Evolution of the electronic structure of ultrathin MnBi2Te4 Films
• Alloying V in MnBi${}_2$Te${}_4$ for Robust Ferromagnetic Coupling and Quantum Anomalous Hall Effect
• Chemical Migration and Dipole Formation at van der Waals Interfaces between Magnetic Transition Metal Chalcogenides and Topological Insulators
• From classical to quantum regime of topological surface states via defect engineering