Half-Magnetic Topological Insulator with Magnetization-Induced Dirac Gap at a Selected Surface

Topological magnets are a new family of quantum materials providing great potential to realize emergent phenomena, such as the quantum anomalous Hall effect and the axion-insulator state. Here, we present our discovery that the stoichiometric ferromagnet MnBi8Te13 with natural heterostructure MnBi2Te4/(Bi2Te3)(3 )is an unprecedented half-magnetic topological insulator, with the magnetization existing at the MnBi2Te4 surface but not at the opposite surface terminated by triple Bi 2 Te 3 layers. Our angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy measurements unveil a massive Dirac gap at the MnBi2Te4 surface and a gapless Dirac cone on the other side. Remarkably, the Dirac gap (about 28 meV) at the MnBi2Te4 surface decreases monotonically with increasing temperature and closes right at the Curie temperature, thereby representing the first smoking-gun spectroscopic evidence of a magnetization-induced topological surface gap among all known magnetic topological materials. We further demonstrate theoretically that the half-magnetic topological insulator is desirable to realize the surface anomalous Hall effect, which serves as direct proof of the general concept of axion electrodynamics in condensed matter systems.

Automated summary

The discovery of the stoichiometric ferromagnet MnBi8Te13 as an unprecedented half-magnetic topological insulator with surface magnetization existing only on one side reveals a unique material system with tunable Dirac gap and potential for realizing surface anomalous Hall effect. This represents a significant step towards understanding magnetization-induced topological properties and axion electrodynamics in condensed matter systems.