Room-temperature nonlinear transport and microwave rectification in antiferromagnetic MnBi$_2$Te$_4$ films

TL;DR

This paper reports room-temperature nonlinear transport and microwave rectification in MnBi$_2$Te$_4$ films, revealing mechanisms and potential applications in high-frequency energy harvesting and detection.

Contribution

It demonstrates robust room-temperature nonlinear effects and RF rectification in MnBi$_2$Te$_4$ films, with insights into underlying mechanisms like skew scattering and side jump.

Findings

Nonlinear transverse response observed at room temperature.

Microwave rectification demonstrated at 1-8 GHz.

Sign-reversal of nonlinear response with chemical potential tuning.

Abstract

The discovery of the nonlinear Hall effect provides an avenue for studying the interplay among symmetry, topology, and phase transitions, with potential applications in signal doubling and high-frequency rectification. However, practical applications require devices fabricated on large area thin film as well as room-temperature operation. Here, we demonstrate robust room-temperature nonlinear transverse response and microwave rectification in MnBi$_2$Te$_4$ films grown by molecular beam epitaxy. We observe multiple sign-reversals in the nonlinear response by tuning the chemical potential. Through theoretical analysis, we identify skew scattering and side jump, arising from extrinsic spin-orbit scattering, as the main mechanisms underlying the observed nonlinear signals. Furthermore, we demonstrate radio frequency (RF) rectification in the range of 1-8 gigahertz at 300 K. These findings not only enhance our understanding of the relationship between nonlinear response and magnetism, but also expand the potential applications as energy harvesters and detectors in high-frequency scenarios.