• Letter

Pressure-densified new rhombohedral phase of EuSn2As2

Jian-Tao Wang, Changhao Wang, and Changfeng Chen
Phys. Rev. B 104, L220101 – Published 7 December 2021
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Abstract

The magnetic topological insulator EuSn2As2 is known to crystallize in a Bi2Te3-type layered structure in rhombohedral symmetry at ambient conditions and undergo a structural phase transition toward a monoclinic β phase under increasing pressure. Here, we identify by ab initio calculations a new high-pressure rhombohedral structure (termed the γ phase) in R3¯m symmetry comprising Sn-As-As-Sn linear chains along the z axis via the formation of As-As bonds in the AsSn/SnAs bilayers with strong anisotropic lattice distortion along the [001] orientation. This pressure-densified new rhombohedral phase has a metallic A-type antiferromagnetic ground state and is energetically more favorable than the original rhombohedral structure and the monoclinic β phase above 11 GPa. Simulated x-ray diffraction patterns provide an excellent match to the previously unexplained distinct diffraction peak around 14.7 found in experiments for EuSn2As2 above 13 GPa. These findings offer key insights into a new type of high-pressure phase of layered magnetic topological insulators, laying a foundation for further exploration of this intriguing class of materials.

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  • Received 22 July 2021
  • Revised 6 October 2021
  • Accepted 29 November 2021

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.104.L220101

©2021 American Physical Society

Physics Subject Headings (PhySH)

Condensed Matter, Materials & Applied Physics

Authors & Affiliations

Jian-Tao Wang1,2,3,*, Changhao Wang4, and Changfeng Chen5

  • 1Beijing National Laboratory for Condensed Matter Physics and Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
  • 2School of Physical Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
  • 3Songshan Lake Materials Laboratory, Dongguan, Guangdong 523808, China
  • 4Faculty of Materials and Manufacturing, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, China
  • 5Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Nevada 89154, USA

  • *wjt@aphy.iphy.ac.cn

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Issue

Vol. 104, Iss. 22 — 1 December 2021

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