Topological Axion States in the Magnetic Insulator MnBi2Te4 with the Quantized Magnetoelectric Effect

Dongqin Zhang, Minji Shi, Tongshuai Zhu, Dingyu Xing, Haijun Zhang, and Jing Wang
Phys. Rev. Lett. 122, 206401 – Published 20 May 2019
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Abstract

Topological states of quantum matter have attracted great attention in condensed matter physics and materials science. The study of time-reversal-invariant topological states in quantum materials has made tremendous progress. However, the study of magnetic topological states falls much behind due to the complex magnetic structures. Here, we predict the tetradymite-type compound MnBi2Te4 and its related materials host topologically nontrivial magnetic states. The magnetic ground state of MnBi2Te4 is an antiferromagetic topological insulator state with a large topologically nontrivial energy gap (0.2eV). It presents the axion state, which has gapped bulk and surface states, and the quantized topological magnetoelectric effect. The ferromagnetic phase of MnBi2Te4 might lead to a minimal ideal Weyl semimetal.

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  • Received 18 September 2018
  • Revised 24 January 2019

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.122.206401

© 2019 American Physical Society

Physics Subject Headings (PhySH)

Condensed Matter, Materials & Applied Physics

Authors & Affiliations

Dongqin Zhang1, Minji Shi1, Tongshuai Zhu1, Dingyu Xing1,2, Haijun Zhang1,2,*, and Jing Wang3,2,4,†

  • 1National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures, School of Physics, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China
  • 2Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China
  • 3State Key Laboratory of Surface Physics, Department of Physics, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China
  • 4Institute for Nanoelectronic Devices and Quantum Computing, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China

  • *zhanghj@nju.edu.cn
  • wjingphys@fudan.edu.cn

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Issue

Vol. 122, Iss. 20 — 24 May 2019

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