Anti-site defect-induced disorder in compensated topological magnet MnBi$_{2-x}$Sb$_x$Te$_4$

TL;DR

This study uses STM/S to analyze how atomic defects, especially anti-site defects, cause local doping variations and disrupt the quantum phases in the magnetic topological insulator MnBi$_{2-x}$Sb$_x$Te$_4$, guiding future defect control.

Contribution

It provides the first nanoscale statistical analysis of defect effects in MnBi$_{2-x}$Sb$_x$Te$_4$, identifying anti-site defects as key to doping fluctuations and gap closing.

Findings

Anti-site defects cause nanoscale charge puddles.

Defects lead to spatial variations in the surface state gap.

Results inform defect engineering for better quantum phase stability.

Abstract

The gapped Dirac-like surface states of compensated magnetic topological insulator MnBi$_{2-x}$Sb$_x$Te$_4$ (MBST) are a promising host for exotic quantum phenomena such as the quantum anomalous Hall effect and axion insulating states. However, it has become clear that atomic defects undermine the stabilization of such quantum phases as they lead to spatial variations in the surface state gap and doping levels. The large number of possible defect configurations in MBST make studying the influence of individual defects virtually impossible. Here, we present a statistical analysis of the nanoscale effect of defects in MBST with $x=0.64$, by scanning tunneling microscopy/spectroscopy (STM/S). We identify (Bi,Sb)$_{\rm Mn}$ anti-site defects to be the main source of the observed doping fluctuations, leading towards the formation of nanoscale charge puddles and effectively closing the transport gap. Our findings will guide further optimization of this material system via defect engineering, to enable exploitation of its promising properties.