Intrinsic ferromagnetic axion states and single pair of Weyl fermions in the stable-state MnX2B2T6 family of materials

The intrinsic ferromagnetic (FM) axion insulators and Weyl semimetals (WSMs) with only a single pair of Weyl points have drawn intensive attention but so far remain rare and elusive in real materials. Here, we propose a new class of MnX2B2T6-B (X = Ge, Sn, or Pb; B = Sb or Bi; T = Se or Te) family that is the stable structural form of this system. We find that the MnX2B2T6-B family has not only the intrinsic FM axion insulators MnGe2Bi2Te6-B, MnSn2Bi2Te6-B, and MnPb2Bi2Te6-B, but also the intrinsic WSM MnSn2Sb2Te6-B with only a single pair of Weyl points. Thus, the MnX2B2T6-B family can provide an ideal platform to explore the exotic topological magnetoelectric effect and the intrinsic properties related to Weyl points.

Automated summary

We propose a new class of MnX2B2T6-B (X = Ge, Sn, or Pb; B = Sb or Bi; T = Se or Te) family, which has a stable structural form. The MnX2B2T6-B family not only includes the intrinsic ferromagnetic (FM) axion insulators MnGe2Bi2Te6-B, MnSn2Bi2Te6-B, and MnPb2Bi2Te6-B, but also the intrinsic Weyl semimetal MnSn2Sb2Te6-B with only a single pair of Weyl points. Thus, the MnX2B2T6-B family provides an ideal platform to explore the exotic topological magnetoelectric effect and the intrinsic properties related to Weyl points.