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Spin-mediated hysteretic switching of unidirectional charge density waves by rotating magnetic fields
Zichao Chen1,2, Shiyu Zhu3,4, Kailin Xu1,2
1Beijing National Laboratory for Condensed Matter Physics, Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
Abstract:
Charge density waves are a widespread collective electronic order in quantum materials, furnishing key insights into symmetry breaking and competing phases. However, their dynamic control with external fields remains a significant challenge. Here, we report deterministic and hysteretic switching of unidirectional charge density wave orientation via in-plane magnetic field rotation in magnetic kagome metal GdTi3Bi4. Atomically resolved spectroscopy shows two types of 3a0 × 1a0 charge density wave domains, Q1 and Q2 oriented 60° apart along two distinct crystallographic directions and separated by atomically sharp domain walls. Rotating the magnetic field drives reversible transitions between these charge density wave configurations, exhibiting a robust C2-symmetric phase diagram with pronounced hysteresis. This hysteretic switching is mediated by a field-dependent reorientation of underlying antiferromagnetic spins, revealing a tunable energy landscape with stable and metastable states and modulates the electronic charge order via spin-lattice coupling. Our findings not only demonstrate the switching of charge density wave configurations by in-plane magnetic field but also reveal the mechanism of coupling between charge density wave and magnetic fields, offering new insights into charge density wave manipulation and versatile platform for developing a spin-mediated multistate spin-charge coupling memory and programmable quantum devices.
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