Ferroelectric switching of quantum anomalous Hall effects in MnBi2Te4 films

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates how ferroelectric polarization switching in heterostructures of MnBi2Te4 and In2Te3 can induce topological phase transitions, enabling reconfigurable quantum anomalous Hall effects for advanced device applications.

Contribution

It reveals the strong coupling between ferroelectricity and topological states in MnBi2Te4/In2Te3 heterostructures, showing polarization-controlled topological phase transitions.

Findings

Polarization direction in In2Te3 alters electronic band structures.

Switching polarization induces a topological phase transition.

Potential for reconfigurable quantum device applications.

Abstract

The integration of ferroelectric and topological materials offers a promising avenue for advancing the development of quantum material devices. In this work, we explore the strong coupling between topological states and ferroelectricity in the heterostructure formed by interfacing MnBi2Te4 (MBT) thin films and monolayer In2Te3. Our first-principles calculations demonstrate that the polarization direction in In2Te3 can strongly alter electronic band structures in the MBT/In2Te3 heterostructure, and even induces a topological phase transition between quantum anomalous Hall (C = 1) and trivial (C = 0) insulating states, originating from the change of band order induced by the switch of out-of-plane polarization. Our work highlights the promising potential of ferroelectric-topological heterostructures in aiding the development of reconfigurable quantum devices, and creating new possibilities for progress in advanced microelectronic and spintronic systems