Depth-resolved magnetic order in superconducting topological insulator/FeTe thin film heterostructures

Purnima P. Balakrishnan; Hemian Yi; Zi-Jie Yan; Wei Yuan; Andreas Suter; Christopher J. Jensen; Pascal Manuel; Fabio Orlandi; Takayasu Hanashima; Christy J. Kinane; Andrew J. Caruana; Dirk Backes; Padraic Shafer; Brian B. Maranville; Zaher Salman; Thomas Prokscha; Cui-Zu Chang; Alexander J. Grutter

doi:10.1103/15fx-3cr2

Depth-resolved magnetic order in superconducting topological insulator/FeTe thin film heterostructures

Purnima P. Balakrishnan, Hemian Yi, Zi-Jie Yan, Wei Yuan, Andreas Suter, Christopher J. Jensen, Pascal Manuel, Fabio Orlandi, Takayasu Hanashima, Christy J. Kinane, Andrew J. Caruana, Dirk Backes, Padraic Shafer, Brian B. Maranville, Zaher Salman, Thomas Prokscha, Cui-Zu Chang, Alexander J. Grutter

DOI 10.1103/15fx-3cr2 · Physical Review Materials

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Abstract

The search for chiral topological superconductivity in magnetic topological insulator (TI)-FeTe heterostructures is a key frontier in condensed matter physics, with potential applications in topological quantum computing. The combination of ferromagnetism, superconductivity, and topologically nontrivial surface states brings together the key elements required for chiral Majorana physics. In this work, we examine the interplay between magnetism and superconductivity at the interfaces between FeTe and a series of Te-based TI overlayers. In both Te/FeTe and superconducting MnBi2Te4/FeTe, any interfacial suppression of antiferromagnetism must affect at most a few nanometers. On the other hand, (Bi,Sb)2Te3/FeTe layers exhibit near-total suppression of antiferromagnetic ordering. Ferromagnetic Crx(Bi,Sb)2−xTe3 (CBST)/FeTe bilayers exhibit net magnetization in both CBST and FeTe layers, with evidence of interactions between superconductivity and ferromagnetism. These observations identify magnetic TI/FeTe interfaces as an exceptionally robust platform to realize chiral topological superconductivity.

Source-reported materials — not catalogue approval

Formula	Reported Tc (K)	Pressure (GPa)	Type
Bi2Te3 Archive — visibility unverified Source-occurrence policy only; no material identity or catalogue acceptance is inferred from the formula.	12.5	Pressure not reported	onset
Bi2Te3 Archive — visibility unverified Source-occurrence policy only; no material identity or catalogue acceptance is inferred from the formula.	10	Pressure not reported	zero_resistance
Crx(Bi,Sb)2-xTe3 Archive — visibility unverified Source-occurrence policy only; no material identity or catalogue acceptance is inferred from the formula.	12.5	Pressure not reported	onset
Crx(Bi,Sb)2-xTe3 Archive — visibility unverified Source-occurrence policy only; no material identity or catalogue acceptance is inferred from the formula.	10	Pressure not reported	zero_resistance
MnBi2Te4 Archive — visibility unverified Source-occurrence policy only; no material identity or catalogue acceptance is inferred from the formula.	11	Pressure not reported	onset
MnBi2Te4 Archive — visibility unverified Source-occurrence policy only; no material identity or catalogue acceptance is inferred from the formula.	9	Pressure not reported	zero_resistance