Article,

Orbital complexity in intrinsic magnetic topological insulators MnBi$_4$Te$_7$ and MnBi$_6$Te$_10$

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Phys. Rev. Lett., 126 (17): 176403 (Apr 28, 2021)
DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.126.176403

Abstract

Using angle-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy (ARPES), we investigate the surface electronic structure of the magnetic van der Waals compounds MnBi4Te7 and MnBi6Te10, the n=1 and 2 members of a modular ($Bi_2Te_3$)n($MnBi_2Te_4$) series, which have attracted recent interest as intrinsic magnetic topological insulators. Combining circular dichroic, spin-resolved and photon-energy-dependent ARPES measurements with calculations based on density functional theory, we unveil complex momentum-dependent orbital and spin textures in the surface electronic structure and disentangle topological from trivial surface bands. We find that the Dirac-cone dispersion of the topologial surface state is strongly perturbed by hybridization with valence-band states for $Bi_2Te_3$-terminated surfaces but remains preserved for MnBi2Te4-terminated surfaces. Our results firmly establish the topologically nontrivial nature of these magnetic van der Waals materials and indicate that the possibility of realizing a quantized anomalous Hall conductivity depends on surface termination.

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