Direct Visualization of Surface Spin-Flip Transition in MnBi4Te7

Ge, Wenbo; Kim, Jinwoong; Chan, Ying-Ting; Vanderbilt, David; Yan, Jiaqiang; Wu, Weida

doi:10.1103/physrevlett.129.107204

Direct Visualization of Surface Spin-Flip Transition in MnBi 4 Te 7

Journal Article · Thu Sep 01 00:00:00 EDT 2022 · Physical Review Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevlett.129.107204· OSTI ID:1885047

^[1]; Kim, Jinwoong ^[2]; Chan, Ying-Ting ^[2]; ^[2]; ^[3]; ^[2]

Rutgers Univ., Piscataway, NJ (United States); Rutgers University
Rutgers Univ., Piscataway, NJ (United States)
Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

Here, we report direct visualization of spin-flip transition of the surface layer in antiferromagnet MnBi₄Te₇, a natural superlattice of alternating MnBi₂Te₄ and Bi₂Te₃ layers, using cryogenic magnetic force microscopy (MFM). The observation of magnetic contrast across domain walls and step edges confirms that the antiferromagnetic order persists to the surface layers. The magnetic field dependence of the MFM images reveals that the surface magnetic layer undergoes a first-order spin-flip transition at a magnetic field that is lower than the bulk transition, in excellent agreement with a revised Mills model. Our analysis suggests no reduction of the order parameter in the surface magnetic layer, implying robust ferromagnetism in the single-layer limit. The direct visualization of surface spin-flip transition not only opens up exploration of surface metamagnetic transitions in layered antiferromagnets, but also provides experimental support for realizing quantized transport in ultrathin films of MnBi₄Te₇ and other natural superlattice topological magnets.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: Rutgers Univ., Piscataway, NJ (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES). Materials Sciences & Engineering Division; National Science Foundation (NSF)

Grant/Contract Number:: SC0018153

OSTI ID:: 1885047

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 1891382

Journal Information:: Physical Review Letters, Journal Name: Physical Review Letters Journal Issue: 10 Vol. 129; ISSN 0031-9007

Publisher:: American Physical Society (APS)Copyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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