Layer Zero-Line Modes in Antiferromagnetic Topological Insulators

Abstract

Recently, the magnetic domain walls have been experimentally observed in antiferromagnetic topological insulators MnBi${}_2$Te${}_4$, where we find that the topological zero-line modes (ZLMs) appear along the domain walls. Here, we theoretically demonstrate that these ZLMs are layer-dependent in MnBi${}_2$Te${}_4$ multilayers. For domain walls with out-of-plane ferromagnetism, we find that ZLMs are equally distributed in the odd-number layers. When domain walls possess in-plane magnetization, the ZLMs can also exist in even-number layers due to in-plane mirror-symmetry breaking. Moreover, the conductive channels are mainly distributed in the outermost layers with increasing layer thickness. Our findings lay out a strategy in manipulating ZLMs and also can be utilized to distinguish the corresponding magnetic structures.

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Cited by in corpus (6)

• Chern Number Tunable Quantum Anomalous Hall Effect in Compensated Antiferromagnets
• Two-dimensional Dirac fermions in a mass superlattice
• Berry-Curvature Engineering for Nonreciprocal Directional Dichroism in Two-Dimensional Antiferromagnets
• An ab-initio study on engineering quantum anomalous Hall effect in compensated antiferromagnet MnBi${}_2$Te${}_4$
• Prediction of a layer nonlinear Hall effect in bilayer nonmagnetic or antiferromagnetic systems
• Topological properties of domain walls in antiferromagnetic topological insulators