Magnetic field tuning of the spin dynamics in the magnetic topological insulators (MnBi$_{2}$Te$_{4}$)(Bi$_{2}$Te$_{3}$)$_{n}$

Abstract

We report a high frequency/high magnetic field electron spin resonance (HF-ESR) spectroscopy study in the sub-THz frequency domain of the two representatives of the family of magnetic topological insulators (MnBi2Te4)(Bi2Te3)n with n = 0 and 1. The HF-ESR measurements in the magnetically ordered state at a low temperature of T = 4 K combined with the calculations of the resonance modes showed that the spin dynamics in MnBi4Te7 is typical for an anisotropic easy-axis type ferromagnet whereas MnBi2Te4 demonstrates excitations of an anisotropic easy-axis type antiferromagnet. However, by applying the field stronger than a threshold value ∼ 6 T we observed in MnBi2Te4 a crossover from the antiferromagnetic (AFM) resonance modes to the ferromagnetic (FM) modes which properties are very similar to the FM response of MnBi4Te7. We attribute this remarkably unusual effect unexpected for a canonical easy-axis antiferromagnet, which, additionally, can be accurately reproduced by numerical calculations of the excitation modes, to the closeness of the strength of the AFM exchange and magnetic anisotropy energies which appears to be a very specific feature of this compound. Our experimental data evidences that the spin dynamics of the magnetic building blocks of these compounds, the Mn-based septuple layers (SLs), is inherently ferromagnetic featuring persisting short-range FM correlations far above the magnetic ordering temperature as soon as the SLs get decoupled either by introducing a nonmagnetic quintuple interlayer, as in MnBi4Te7, or by applying a moderate magnetic field, as in MnBi2Te4, which may have an effect on the surface topological band structure of these compounds.

Native point defects and their implications for the Dirac point gap at MnBi$_2$Te$_4$(0001)

“…While the early synchrotron ARPES studies reported 7,12,14 that the DP gap in MnBi 2 Te 4 persists well above the Néel temperature, recent laser-ARPES data show about 40% reduction of the DP gap (from 65 to 40 meV) upon heating from below T N up to 35 K 71 . An incomplete closing of the gap seems to be consistent with strong short range order effects that persist in MnBi 2 Te 4 up to about 50-60 K, as observed by electron spin resonance, ferromagnetic resonance, and antiferromagnetic resonance experiments 7,72,73 . The measured magnetization data 52 , revealing that MnBi 2 Te 4 is not in the paramagnetic limit even at T ≈ 50 K, confirm this observation.…”