Gate-tunable magnetoresistance in six-septuple-layer MnBi${}_2$Te${}_4$

Abstract

The recently discovered antiferromagnetic topological insulator MnBi${}_2$Te${}_4$ hosts a variety of exotic topological quantum phases such as the axion insulator and Chern insulator states. Here we report systematic gate voltage dependent magneto transport studies in six septuple-layer MnBi${}_2$Te${}_4$. In p-type carrier regime, we observe positive linear magnetoresistance when MnBi${}_2$Te${}_4$ is polarized in the ferromagnetic state by an out-of-plane magnetic field. Whereas in n-type regime, distinct negative magnetoresistance behaviors are observed. The magnetoresistance in both regimes is highly robust against temperature even up to the Néel temperature. Within the antiferromagnetic state, the behavior of magnetoresistance exhibits a transition from negative to positive as applying a gate voltage. The boundaries between different magnetoresistance behaviors in the experimental phase diagram can be explicitly characterized by the gate-voltage-independent magnetic fields that denotes the processes of the spin-flop transition. The rich transport phenomena demonstrate the intricate interplay between topology, magnetism and dimensionality in MnBi${}_2$Te${}_4$.

19 pages, 4 figures