Ferroelectric switching of quantum anomalous Hall effects in MnBi2Te4 films

Abstract

The integration of ferroelectric and topological materials offers a promising avenue for advancing the development of quantum material devices. In this work, we explore the strong coupling between topological states and ferroelectricity in the heterostructure formed by interfacing MnBi₂Te₄ (MBT) thin films and monolayer In₂Te₃. Our first-principles calculations demonstrate that the polarization direction in In₂Te₃ can strongly alter electronic band structures in the MBT/In₂Te₃ heterostructure, and even induces a topological phase transition between quantum anomalous Hall (C = 1) and trivial (C = 0) insulating states, originating from the change of band order induced by the switch of out-of-plane polarization. Our work highlights the promising potential of ferroelectric-topological heterostructures in aiding the development of reconfigurable quantum devices, and creating new possibilities for progress in advanced microelectronic and spintronic systems.