This is a schematic illustration of the lattice and magnetic structures for EuMnBi2 at zero field, together with the formal valence of each ion. The arrangement of the Mn sublattice is assumed to be the same as in SrMnBi2. Credit: Hideaki Sakai
This achievement will lead to a new field of study, strong correlated quantum transport of Dirac electrons, and become an innovation in realizing super high speed spintronics, the foundation of high-speed and energy-saving electronics.
A/Prof Hideaki Sakai at Osaka University and A/Prof Shintaro Ishiwata, Hidetoshi MASUDA (Grad Student) at Uni of Tokyo succeeded in the synthesis of high-quality single crystals of EuMnBi2, a layered compound which is thought to have both properties of Dirac fermions and magnets, using flux growth in a high vacuum. This material features hybrid architecture consisting of 2D layers of bismuth with Dirac electrons and europium with magnetic properties.
To verify the strong correlation between Dirac fermions and the magnetic state, this group measured electric resistance in a strong magnetic field (30-60 tesla) at The Institute for Solid State Physics of The University of Tokyo and the High Field Laboratory for Superconducting Materials of Tohoku University. Furthermore, in order to elucidate magnetic state, this group conducted magnetic scattering experiments using synchrotron x-rays at the Photon Factory of The Institute of Materials Structure Science, High Energy Accelerator Research Organization.
As a result, they found that electric resistance significantly changed depending on the magnetic order of europium. It was also found that when a magnetic field was applied perpendicularly to the two-dimensional Bi layers and the direction of magnetic moment was rotated by 90 degrees, the conductivity perpendicular to the layers was suppressed by 1000% and Dirac fermions were confined within each layer.
By confining Dirac electrons in the two-dimensional layer of Bi through the use of this effect, this joint group observed a bulk half-integer quantum Hall effect, in which the value of the Hall resistance becomes discrete, in a bulk magnet of Dirac fermions for the first time. http://resou.osaka-u.ac.jp/en/research/2016/20160130_1
http://advances.sciencemag.org/content/2/1/e1501117.full
Recent Comments