The ferromagnetic topological insulator V:(Bi,Sb) 2 Te 3 has been recently reported as a quantum anomalous Hall (QAH) system. Yet the microscopic origins of the QAH effect and the ferromagnetism remain unclear. One key aspect is the contribution of the V atoms to the electronic structure. Here the valence band of V:(Bi,Sb) 2 Te 3 thin films was probed in an element-specific way by resonant photoemission spectroscopy. The signature of the V 3d impurity band was extracted and exhibits a high density of states near Fermi level, in agreement with spin-polarized first-principles calculations. Our results indicate the occurrence of a ferromagnetic superexchange interaction mediated by the observed impurity band, contributing to the ferromagnetism in this system.
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