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Quantum anomalous Hall effect in two-dimensional magnetic insulator heterojunctions

ORAL

Abstract

In this talk, we propose an alternative approach to realize the quantum anomalous Hall (QAH) effect, a typical example of a magnetic topological phase, via engineering two-dimensional (2D) magnetic van der Waals heterojunctions. Instead of a single magnetic topological material, we search for the combinations of two 2D (typically trivial) magnetic insulator compounds with specific band alignment so that they can together form a type-III broken gap heterojunction with topologically non-trivial band structure. By combining the data-driven materials search, first-principles calculations, and the symmetry-based analytical models, we identify 8 type-III broken gap heterojunctions consisting of 2D ferromagnetic insulators in the MXY compound family as a set of candidates for the QAH effect. In particular, we directly calculate the topological invariant (Chern number) and chiral edge states in the MnNF/MnNCl heterojunction with ferromagnetic stacking. This work illustrates how data-driven material science can be combined with symmetry-based physical principles to guide the search for heterojunction-based quantum materials hosting the QAH effect and other exotic quantum states in general.

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Presenters

  • Qimin Yan

    Temple University, Physics, Temple University

Authors

  • Jinbo Pan

    Temple University

  • Jiabin Yu

    Pennsylvania State University, Condensed Matter Theory Center, Department of Physics, University of Maryland, College Park

  • Yanfang Zhang

    Temple University

  • Shixuan Du

    Chinese Academy of Sciences,Institute of Physics, Institute of Physics and University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China, School of physical sciences, Institute of Physics and University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Physics, Institute of Physics & University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences

  • Anderson Janotti

    2- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Delaware, University of Delaware, Materials Science and Engineering, University of Delaware, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Delaware, Department of Materials Science & Engineering, University of Delaware

  • Chaoxing Liu

    The department of Physics, Pennsylvania State University, Pennsylvania State University, Department of Physics, the Pennsylvania State University, University Park

  • Qimin Yan

    Temple University, Physics, Temple University