Metamagnetism of few layer topological antiferromagnets

Abstract

MnBi${}_2$Te${}_4$ (MBT) is a promising antiferromagnetic topological insulator whose films provide access to novel and technologically important topological phases, including quantum anomalous Hall states and axion insulators. MBT device behavior is expected to be sensitive to the various collinear and non-collinear magnetic phases that are accessible in applied magnetic fields. Here, we use classical Monte Carlo simulations and electronic structure models to calculate the ground state magnetic phase diagram as well as topological and optical properties for few layer films with thicknesses up to six septuple layers. Using magnetic interaction parameters appropriate for MBT, we find that it is possible to prepare a variety of different magnetic stacking sequences, some of which have sufficient symmetry to disallow non-reciprocal optical response and Hall transport coefficients. Other stacking arrangements do yield large Faraday and Kerr signals, even when the ground state Chern number vanishes.

8 pages, 5 figures

References in corpus (7)

• Antiferromagnetic topological insulators
• Crystal growth and magnetic structure of MnBi2Te4
• Intertwined Topological and Magnetic Orders in Atomically Thin Chern Insulator MnBi2Te4
• Odd-even layer-number effect and layer-dependent magnetic phase diagrams in MnBi2Te4
• Robust A-type order and spin-flop transition on the surface of the antiferromagnetic topological insulator MnBi${}_2$Te${}_4$
• Magnetized Topological Insulator Multilayers
• Gate-Tunable Quantum Anomalous Hall Effects in MnBi${}_2$Te${}_4$ Thin Films

Cited by in corpus (8)

• Topological response of the anomalous Hall effect in MnBi2Te4 due to magnetic canting
• Antiferromagnetic Quantum Anomalous Hall Effect Modulated by Spin Flips and Flops
• Kerr, Faraday, and Magnetoelectric Effects in MnBi${}_2$Te${}_4$ Thin Films
• Quantum Anomalous Hall Effect in Perfectly Compensated Collinear Antiferromagnetic Thin Films
• Angle dependent field-driven reorientation transitions in uniaxial antiferromagnet MnBi${}_2$Te${}_4$ single crystal
• Capacitive scheme to detect the topological magnetoelectric effect
• Role of non-magnetic spacers in the magnetic interactions of antiferromagnetic topological insulators MnBi${}_4$Te${}_7$ and MnBi${}_2$Te${}_4$
• Strongly enhanced topological quantum phases in dual-surface AlO${}_x$-encapsulated MnBi${}_2$Te${}_4$