V. V. Tugushev

Magnetic proximity effect at the three-dimensional topological insulator/magnetic insulator interface

The magnetic proximity effect is a fundamental feature of heterostructures composed of layers of topological insulators and magnetic materials since it underlies many potential applications in devices with novel quantum functionality. Within density functional theory we study magnetic proximity effect at the three-dimensional topological insulator/magnetic insulator (TI/MI) interface in the Bi2Se3/MnSe(111) system as an example. We demonstrate that a gapped ordinary bound state caused by the interface potential arises in the immediate region of the interface. The gapped topological Dirac state also arises in the system owing to relocation to deeper atomic layers of topological insulator. The gap in the Dirac cone originates from an overlapping of the topological and ordinary interfacial states. This result being also corroborated by the analytic model, is a key aspect of the magnetic proximity effect mechanism in the TI/MI structures.

Magnetic proximity effect at the 3D topological insulator/magnetic insulator interface

The magnetic proximity effect is a fundamental feature of heterostructures composed of layers of topological insulators and magnetic materials since it underlies many potential applications in devices with novel quantum functionality. Within density functional theory we study magnetic proximity effect at the three-dimensional topological insulator/magnetic insulator (TI/MI) interface in the Bi2Se3/MnSe(111) system as an example. We demonstrate that a gapped ordinary bound state caused by the interface potential arises in the immediate region of the interface. The gapped topological Dirac state also arises in the system owing to relocation to deeper atomic layers of topological insulator. The gap in the Dirac cone originates from an overlapping of the topological and ordinary interfacial states. This result being also corroborated by the analytic model, is a key aspect of the magnetic proximity effect mechanism in the TI/MI structures.

Magnetic proximity effect in the three-dimensional topological insulator/ferromagnetic insulator heterostructure

We theoretically study the magnetic proximity effect in the three-dimensional (3D) topological insulator/ ferromagnetic insulator (TI/FMI) structures in the context of possibility to manage the Dirac helical state in TI. Within a continual approach based on the k · p Hamiltonian, we predict that, when a 3D TI is brought into contact with a 3D FMI, the ordinary bound state arising at the TI/FMI interface becomes spin polarized due to the orbital mixing at the boundary. Whereas the wave function of FMI decays into the TI bulk on the atomic scale, the induced exchange field, which is proportional to the FMI magnetization, builds up at the scale of the penetration depth of the ordinary interface state. Such an exchange field opens the gap at the Dirac point in the energy spectrum of the topological bound state existing on the TI side of the interface. We estimate the dependence of the gap size on the material parameters of the TI/FMI contact.

Magnetic proximity effect in the 3D topological insulator/ferromagnetic insulator heterostructure

We theoretically study the magnetic proximity effect in the three-dimensional (3D) topological insulator/ ferromagnetic insulator (TI/FMI) structures in the context of possibility to manage the Dirac helical state in TI. Within a continual approach based on the k · p Hamiltonian, we predict that, when a 3D TI is brought into contact with a 3D FMI, the ordinary bound state arising at the TI/FMI interface becomes spin polarized due to the orbital mixing at the boundary. Whereas the wave function of FMI decays into the TI bulk on the atomic scale, the induced exchange field, which is proportional to the FMI magnetization, builds up at the scale of the penetration depth of the ordinary interface state. Such an exchange field opens the gap at the Dirac point in the energy spectrum of the topological bound state existing on the TI side of the interface. We estimate the dependence of the gap size on the material parameters of the TI/FMI contact.

High-temperature ferromagnetism in Si1 − xMnx (x ≈ 0.5) nonstoichiometric alloys

It has been found that the Curie temperature (TC ≈ 300 K) in nonstoichiometric Si1 − xMnx alloys slightly enriched in Mn (x ≈ 0.52–0.55) in comparison to the stoichiometric manganese monosilicide MnSi becomes about an order of magnitude higher than that in MnSi (TC ∼ 30 K). Deviations from stoichiometry lead to a drastic decrease in the density of charge carries (holes), whereas their mobility at about 100 K becomes an order of magnitude higher than the value characteristic of MnSi. The high-temperature ferromagnetism is ascribed to the formation of defects with the localized magnetic moments and by their indirect exchange interaction mediated by the paramagnetic fluctuations of the hole spin density. The existence of defects with the localized magnetic moments in Si1 − xMnx alloys with x ≈ 0.52–0.55 is supported by the results of numerical calculations performed within the framework of the local-density-functional approximation. The increase in the hole mobility in the nonstoichiometric material is attributed to the decay of the Kondo (or spin-polaron) resonances presumably existing in MnSi.

Room-temperature ferromagnetism and anomalous Hall effect in Si1−xMnx (x ≈ 0.35) alloys

AdetailedstudyofthemagneticandtransportpropertiesofSi1−xMnx (x ≈ 0.35)filmsispresented.Weobserve the anomalous Hall effect in these films up to room temperature. The results of the magnetic measurements and the anomalous Hall effect data are consistent and demonstrate the existence of long-range ferromagnetic order in the systems under investigation. A correlation of the anomalous Hall effect and the magnetic properties of the samples with their conductivity and substrate type is shown. A theoretical model based on the idea of a two-phase magnetic material, in which molecular clusters with localized magnetic moments are embedded in the matrix of a weak itinerant ferromagnet, is discussed and used to explain experimental results. The long-range ferromagnetic order at high temperatures is mainly due to the Stoner enhancement of the exchange coupling between clusters through thermal spin fluctuations (“paramagnons”) in the matrix. Theoretical predictions do not contradict experimental data when model parameters of a plausible order of magnitude are used.

Modelling near-surface bound electron states in a 3D topological insulator: analytical and numerical approaches

We apply both analytical and ab-initio methods to explore heterostructures composed of a 3D topological insulator (3D TI) and an ultrathin normal insulator (NI) overlayer as a proving ground for the principles of topological phase engineering. Using the continual model of a semi-infinite 3D TI we study the surface potential (SP) effect caused by an attached ultrathin layer of 3D NI on the formation of topological bound states at the interface. The results reveal that the spatial profile and spectrum of these near-surface states strongly depend on both the sign and the strength of the SP. Using ab-initio band structure calculations to take the specificity of the materials into account, we investigate the NI/TI heterostructures formed by a single tetradymite-type quintuple or septuple layer block and the 3D TI substrate. The analytical continuum theory results relate the near-surface state evolution with the SP variation and are in good qualitative agreement with those obtained from density-functional theory (DFT) calculations. We also predict the appearance of the quasi-topological bound state on the 3D NI surface caused by a local band gap inversion induced by an overlayer.

Anomalous Hall effect in highly Mn-Doped silicon films

The transport and magnetic properties of MnxSi1 − x films with a high (x ≈ 0.35) content of Mn produced by laser deposition at growth temperatures of 300–350°C have been studied in a temperature range of 5–300 K in magnetic fields of up to 2.5 T. The films exhibit a hole-type metallic conductivity and a relatively weak change of magnetization in a temperature range of 50–200 K. An anomalous Hall effect with an essentially hysteretic behavior from 50 K up to ≈230 K has been discovered. The properties of the films are explained by the two-phase model, in which ferromagnetic clusters containing interstitial Mn ions with a localized magnetic moment are embedded in the matrix of a weak band MnSi2 − x (x ≈ 0.3) type ferromagnet with delocalized spin density.

Ferromagnetism of MnxSi1-x(x ∼ 0.5) films grown in the shadow geometry by pulsed laser deposition method

The results of a comprehensive study of magnetic, magneto-transport and structural properties of nonstoichiometric MnxSi1-x (x ≈ 0.51-0.52) films grown by the Pulsed Laser Deposition (PLD) technique onto Al2O3(0001) single crystal substrates at T = 340°C are present. A highlight of used PLD method is the non-conventional (“shadow”) geometry with Kr as a scattering gas during the sample growth. It is found that the films exhibit high-temperature (HT) ferromagnetism (FM) with the Curie temperature TC ∼ 370 K accompanied by positive sign anomalous Hall effect (AHE); they also reveal the polycrystalline structure with unusual distribution of grains in size and shape. It is established that HT FM order is originated from the bottom interfacial self-organizing nanocrystalline layer. The upper layer adopted columnar structure with the lateral grain size ≥50 nm, possesses low temperature (LT) type of FM order with Tc ≈ 46 K and contributes essentially to the magnetization at T ≤ 50 K. Under these conditions, AHE ...

Interface-induced states at the boundary between a 3D topological insulator and a normal insulator

We show that, when a three-dimensional (3D) narrow-gap semiconductor with inverted band gap (“topological insulator,” TI) is attached to a 3D wide-gap semiconductor with non-inverted band gap (“normal insulator,” NI), two types of bound electron states having different spatial distributions and spin textures arise at the TI/NI interface. Namely, the gapless (“topological”) bound state can be accompanied by the emergence of the gapped (“ordinary”) bound state. We describe these states in the framework of the envelope function method using a variational approach for the energy functional; their existence hinges on the ambivalent character of the constraint for the envelope functions that correspond to the “open” or “natural” boundary conditions at the interface. The properties of the ordinary state strongly depend on the effective interface potential, while the topological state is insensitive to the interface potential variation.