Progress in Physics ›› 2021, Vol. 41 ›› Issue (3): 136-156.doi: 10.13725/j.cnki.pip.2021.03.002

Special Issue: 2024年, 第44卷

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Magnetic exchange induced Weyl states in the antiferromagnetic semimetals EuCd2Pn2 (Pn = As, Sb)

Su Hao1 , Chen Lei-Ming2, Xia Wei1,3, Guo Yan-Feng 1   

  1. 1. School of Physical Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China; 2. School of materials science and engineering, Henan key laboratory of aeronautic materials and application technology, Zhengzhou University of Aeronautics, Zhengzhou, Henan, 450046; 3. ShanghaiTech Laboratory for Topological Physics, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
  • Online:2021-06-20 Published:2021-06-18
  • Supported by:
    Priority Research Program of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Grant No. XDA18000000); the Key Scientific Research Projects of Higher Institutions in Henan Province (19A140018); Analytical Instrumentation Center (# SPST-AIC10112914)

Abstract:

Three-dimensional (3D) topological semimetals (TSMs) have arrested special attentions as 3D analogues to graphene. The TSMs, for example, the Dirac and Weyl semimetals, show an array of intriguing physical properties arising from the electronic band structure topology, which have therefore been under immense investigations. Most of the known TSMs are nonmagnetic, whereas the magnetic TSMs are very few and remain less investigated. The interplay between magnetism and nontrivial topological states can result in exceptional physical properties, such as anomalous or even quantum anomalous Hall effect. In some TSMs with peculiar magnetic structures, the magnetic exchange could be tuned by application of an external magnetic field, which consequently can affect the topological properties. We review herein the family of antiferromagnetic semimetals EuCd2Pn2 (Pn = As, Sb) which exhibit topological phase transitions induced by an external magnetic field through tuning the spin structures and hence the structure symmetries that are protecting the topological states. Besides, we will also briefly review several other related materials including the GdPtBi and MnBi2Te4. The herein discussed magnetism induced topological phase transition provides potential use in novel topological devices since the topological states could be conveniently controlled by external magnetic field. Furthermore, it also contributes important clues toward understanding the intimate relation between magnetism and topological states, which are instructive for designing new magnetic topological phases. At the end of this review, we also give a short perspective for the development of the magnetic TSMs.

Key words: Topological semimetals, Magnetic topological phases, Antiferromagnetic topological insulator, Weyl semimetals, Topological phase transition

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