DOE OSTI · 2538103
Role of nonmagnetic spacers in the magnetic interactions of antiferromagnetic topological insulators MnBi 4 Te 7 and MnBi 2 Te 4
Abstract
MnBi 4 Te 7 belongs to a family of antiferromagnetic topological insulators. It forms a natural heterostructure of magnetic (septuple) and nonmagnetic (quintuple) topological blocks. Here, we explore the magnetism and magnetic interactions in this compound using inelastic neutron scattering. We find that the interlayer magnetic coupling is much weaker in MnBi 4 Te 7 as compared to MnBi 2 Te 4 due to the insertion of nonmagnetic quintuple layers in the former. However, other key magnetic energy scales residing within a single septuple block, the single-ion anisotropy and long-range intralayer exchanges, are essentially the same. In conclusion, this identifies a transferable set of magnetic interactions applicable to the extended family of magnetic topological insulators based on MnBi 2 Te 4 –Bi 2 Te 3 heterostructures.
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Li, Bing [Ames Laboratory (AMES), Ames, IA (United States); Iowa State Univ., Ames, IA (United States); Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)] (ORCID:0000000230635344), Pajerowski, Daniel M. [Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)] (ORCID:0000000338902379), Yan, Jiaqiang Q. [Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)] (ORCID:0000000166254706), Mcqueeney, R J. [Ames Laboratory (AMES), Ames, IA (United States); Iowa State Univ., Ames, IA (United States)]. 2025-02-14. Role of nonmagnetic spacers in the magnetic interactions of antiferromagnetic topological insulators MnBi 4 Te 7 and MnBi 2 Te 4. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevb.111.064418
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