Understanding Signatures of Emergent Magnetism in Topological Insulator/Ferrite Bilayers

Published

March 24, 2022

Author(s)

Lauren J. Riddiford, Alexander Grutter, Timothy Pillsbury, Max Stanley, Danielle Reifsnyder Hickey, Peng Li, Nasim Alem, Nitin Samarth, Yuri Suzuki

Abstract

Magnetic insulator and topological insulator heterostructures have been studied in search of induced magnetism in the topological insulator, but chiral edge states have been elusive. We have identified MgAl_0.5Fe_1.5O₄/Bi₂Se₃ bilayers for a possible magnetic proximity effect. Electrical transport and polarized neutron reflectometry suggest a magnetic proximity effect, but structural data indicate a disordered interfacial layer to be the origin of the magnetic response. Without careful correlation of microstructure to magnetic data, a magnetic proximity effect cannot be confirmed in topological insulators.

Citation

Physical Review Letters

Volume

128

Issue

12

Pub Type

Journals

Keywords

Topological insulator, quantum materials, Proximity effect, Magnetism, Interface, Neutron Scattering

Citation

Riddiford, L. , Grutter, A. , Pillsbury, T. , Stanley, M. , Reifsnyder Hickey, D. , Li, P. , Alem, N. , Samarth, N. and Suzuki, Y. (2022), Understanding Signatures of Emergent Magnetism in Topological Insulator/Ferrite Bilayers, Physical Review Letters (Accessed October 15, 2025)