Nanomechanical Characterization of an Antiferromagnetic Topological Insulator

TL;DR

This study employs nanoelectromechanical systems to explore the magneto-mechanical coupling and phase transitions in the antiferromagnetic topological insulator MnBi2Te4, revealing resonance signatures of magnetic state changes.

Contribution

It introduces a nanoelectromechanical approach to detect magnetic phase transitions and magnetoelastic properties in MnBi2Te4, a novel application in magnetic topological insulators.

Findings

Resonance frequency shifts reveal magnetic phase transitions.

Spin-flop transitions are detected via mechanical resonance.

Transitions disappear above the Néel temperature, consistent with transport data.

Abstract

The antiferromagnetic topological insulator MnBi2Te4 (MBT) exhibits an ideal platform to study exotic topological phenomena and magnetic properties. The transport signatures of magnetic phase transitions in the MBT family materials have been well-studied. However, their mechanical properties and magneto-mechanical coupling have not been well-explored. We use nanoelectromechanical systems to study the intrinsic magnetism in MBT thin flakes via their magnetostrictive coupling. We investigate mechanical resonance signatures of magnetic phase transitions from antiferromagnetic (AFM) to canted antiferromagnetic (cAFM) to ferromagnetic (FM) phases versus magnetic field at different temperatures. The spin-flop transitions in MBT are revealed by frequency shifts of mechanical resonance. With temperatures going above TN, the transitions disappear in the resonance frequency map, consistent with transport measurements. We use a magnetostrictive model to correlate the frequency shifts with the spin-canting states. Our work demonstrates a technique to study magnetic phase transitions, magnetization and magnetoelastic properties of the magnetic topological insulator.