Topotaxial mutual-exchange growth of magnetic Zintl Eu3In2As4 nanowires with axion insulator classification.

Abstract

Due to quasi-one-dimensional confinement, nanowires possess unique electronic properties, which can promote specific device architectures. However, nanowire growth presents paramount challenges, limiting the accessible crystal structures and elemental compositions. Here we demonstrate solid-state topotactic exchange that converts wurtzite InAs nanowires into Zintl Eu₃In₂As₄. Molecular-beam-epitaxy-based in situ evaporation of Eu and As onto InAs nanowires results in the mutual exchange of Eu from the shell and In from the core. Therefore, a single-phase Eu₃In₂As₄ shell grows, which gradually consumes the InAs core. The mutual exchange is supported by the substructure of the As matrix, which is similar across the wurtzite InAs and Zintl Eu₃In₂As₄ and therefore is topotactic. The Eu₃In₂As₄ nanowires undergo an antiferromagnetic transition at a Néel temperature of ~6.5 K. Ab initio calculations confirm the antiferromagnetic ground state and classify Eu₃In₂As₄ as a C₂T axion insulator, hosting both chiral hinge modes and unpinned Dirac surface states. The topotactic mutual-exchange nanowire growth will, thus, enable the exploration of intricate magneto-topological states in Eu₃In₂As₄ and potentially in other exotic compounds.