Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 23, 2025
09:06
Visualizing Uniaxial-strain Manipulation of Antiferromagnetic Domains in Fe1+YTe Using a Spin-polarized Scanning Tunneling Microscope
Published on: March 24, 2019
8.2K
Spontaneous Ferromagnetism Induced Topological Transition in EuB_{6}
W L Liu1,2,3, X Zhang2, S M Nie4
1Center for Excellence in Superconducting Electronics, State Key Laboratory of Functional Materials for Informatics, Shanghai Institute of Microsystem and Information Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200050, China.
Physical Review Letters
|October 28, 2022
Summary
Researchers discovered a topological transition in the magnetic material EuB6. This transition, driven by spontaneous ferromagnetism, shifts the material from a topological insulator to a magnetic topological semimetal.
Area of Science:
- Condensed Matter Physics
- Materials Science
- Quantum Materials
Background:
- Topological quantum materials are crucial for novel electronic properties.
- Spontaneous magnetism breaks time-reversal symmetry, enabling exotic topological phases.
Purpose of the Study:
- To provide direct evidence of a spontaneous ferromagnetism-induced topological transition.
- To investigate the topological properties of the soft ferromagnetic material EuB6.
Main Methods:
- Angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES)
- Magneto-optical Kerr effect (MOKE) microscopy
- First-principles calculations
Main Results:
- Demonstrated a topological transition in EuB6 from a Z2=1 topological insulator (paramagnetic state) to a χ=1 magnetic topological semimetal (ferromagnetic state).
- Observed spontaneous ferromagnetism driving this topological transition.
Conclusions:
- EuB6 serves as an ideal platform for studying topological phase physics due to its simple band structure and diverse topological phases.
- Spontaneous magnetism is a key mechanism for realizing novel topological states in quantum materials.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
01:31Ferromagnetism
2.4K
Materials like iron, nickel, and cobalt consist of magnetic domains, within which the magnetic dipoles are arranged parallel to each other. The magnetic dipoles are rigidly aligned in the same direction within a domain by quantum mechanical coupling among the atoms. This coupling is so strong that even thermal agitation at room temperature cannot break it. The result is that each domain has a net dipole moment. However, some materials have weaker coupling, and are ferromagnetic at lower...
2.4K
03:02Colors and Magnetism
12.2K
Color in Coordination Complexes
When atoms or molecules absorb light at the proper frequency, their electrons are excited to higher-energy orbitals. For many main group atoms and molecules, the absorbed photons are in the ultraviolet range of the electromagnetic spectrum, which cannot be detected by the human eye. For coordination compounds, the energy difference between the d orbitals often allows photons in the visible range to be absorbed and emitted, which is seen as colors by the human...
When atoms or molecules absorb light at the proper frequency, their electrons are excited to higher-energy orbitals. For many main group atoms and molecules, the absorbed photons are in the ultraviolet range of the electromagnetic spectrum, which cannot be detected by the human eye. For coordination compounds, the energy difference between the d orbitals often allows photons in the visible range to be absorbed and emitted, which is seen as colors by the human...
12.2K
01:26Diamagnetism
2.5K
Materials consisting of paired electrons have zero net magnetic moments. However, when these materials are placed under an external magnetic field, the moments opposite to the field are induced. Such materials are called diamagnets. Diamagnetism is the response of the diamagnets when placed in an external magnetic field.
Diamagnetism was discovered by Anton Brugmans in 1778 when he observed that bismuth gets repelled by magnetic fields, thus theorizing that diamagnets get repelled by magnets....
Diamagnetism was discovered by Anton Brugmans in 1778 when he observed that bismuth gets repelled by magnetic fields, thus theorizing that diamagnets get repelled by magnets....
2.5K
02:42Valence Bond Theory
9.1K
Coordination compounds and complexes exhibit different colors, geometries, and magnetic behavior, depending on the metal atom/ion and ligands from which they are composed. In an attempt to explain the bonding and structure of coordination complexes, Linus Pauling proposed the valence bond theory, or VBT, using the concepts of hybridization and the overlapping of the atomic orbitals. According to VBT, the central metal atom or ion (Lewis acid) hybridizes to provide empty orbitals of suitable...
9.1K
01:30Paramagnetism
2.6K
Paramagnets are materials with unpaired electrons that possess a finite magnetic moment. In the absence of a magnetic field, these moments are randomly oriented, and thus the net moment is zero. Under an external field, a torque acting on the moments tends to align them along the field's direction. However, the random thermal motion of electrons produces a torque opposite to the external field and tries to disorient the moments. These two competing effects align only a few moments along the...
2.6K
02:58Properties of Transition Metals
26.8K
Transition metals are defined as those elements that have partially filled d orbitals. As shown in Figure 1, the d-block elements in groups 3–12 are transition elements. The f-block elements, also called inner transition metals (the lanthanides and actinides), also meet this criterion because the d orbital is partially occupied before the f orbitals.
26.8K