MBE Growth and Characterization of Thin Films of the Axion Insulator Candidate EuIn<sub>2</sub>As<sub>2</sub>

ORAL

Abstract

EuIn2As2 is an antiferromagnetic topological material theoretically predicted to host the axion insulator state.[1] While these states have been theoretically proposed, their experimental realization is still actively being pursued. In this work, we have successfully developed a molecular beam epitaxy growth scheme for c-axis oriented EuIn2As2 thin films and identified a high temperature regime necessary to stabilize the Zintl phase of the material. Magnetometry studies on our films reproduce characteristic magnetic properties of bulk single crystals of EuIn2As2.[2] The films exhibit the expected (ab)-plane magnetic easy axis and a Neel temperature close to 16 K. Magnetotransport measurements show our films are p-type with charge carrier densities varying between (3.7 - 7.5)×1019 cm-3 comparable to that of bulk crystals.[3] Successfully synthesizing thin films of EuIn2As2 serves as a vital step towards the realization of its predicted topological properties.

*Work supported by NSF-DMR-1905277. Work at the NHMFL is supported by NSF Cooperative Agreement No. DMR-2128556 and the State of Florida.

–

Publication: M. Abdul Karim et al., Molecular beam epitaxy growth of axion insulator candidate EuIn2As2, Phys. Rev. Mater. 7, 104202 (2023)

Presenters

  • Muhsin Abdul Karim

    • Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Notre Dame
    • University of Notre Dame

Authors

  • Muhsin Abdul Karim

    • Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Notre Dame
    • University of Notre Dame

  • Jiashu Wang

    • Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Notre Dame
    • University of Notre Dame

  • David E Graf

    • Florida State University
    • National High Magnetic Fields Laboratory, Florida State University
    • National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, Florida State University

  • Kota Yoshimura

    • Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Notre Dame
    • University of Notre Dame

  • Sara Bey

    • Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Notre Dame
    • University of Notre Dame

  • Tatyana Orlova

    • Notre Dame Integrated Imaging Facility, University of Notre Dame

  • Maksym Zhukovskyi

    • Notre Dame Integrated Imaging Facility, University of Notre Dame

  • Xinyu Liu

    • Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Notre Dame
    • University of Notre Dame

  • Badih A Assaf

    • Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Notre Dame
    • University of Notre Dame