Dynamics of current-induced switching in the quantum anomalous Hall effect

TL;DR

This paper investigates the current-induced magnetization switching in quantum anomalous Hall systems, revealing thermally activated reversal driven by Joule heating, which enables controlled manipulation of chiral edge states.

Contribution

It provides the first time-resolved analysis of magnetization reversal dynamics in QAH systems, highlighting thermal activation and disordered magnetic landscape effects.

Findings

Magnetization reversal is thermally activated and driven by Joule heating.

Switching dynamics are influenced by a disordered magnetic landscape.

Controlled manipulation of chiral edge states is possible through thermal effects.

Abstract

Ferromagnetic topological insulators in the quantum anomalous Hall (QAH) regime host chiral, dissipationless edge states whose propagation direction is determined by the internal magnetization. Under suitable conditions, a strong electrical bias can induce magnetization reversal, and thus flip the propagation direction. In this work, we perform time-resolved measurements to investigate the switching dynamics. Our results reveal characteristics consistent with a disordered magnetic landscape and demonstrate that the reversal process is thermally activated, driven by Joule heating during the current pulse. The understanding of the magnetization dynamics in QAH systems opens pathways for local, controlled manipulation of chiral edge states via thermal effects.