Room-temperature nonlinear transport and microwave rectification in antiferromagnetic MnBi2Te4 films

The discovery of the nonlinear Hall effect provides an avenue for studying the interplay among symmetry, topology, and phase transitions, with potential applications in signal doubling and high-frequency rectification. However, practical applications require devices fabricated on large area thin film as well as room-temperature operation. Here, we demonstrate robust room-temperature nonlinear transverse response and microwave rectification in MnBi2Te4 films grown by molecular beam epitaxy. We observe multiple sign-reversals in the nonlinear response by tuning the chemical potential. Through theoretical analysis, we identify skew scattering and side jump, arising from extrinsic spin-orbit scattering, as the main mechanisms underlying the observed nonlinear signals. Furthermore, we demonstrate radio frequency (RF) rectification in the range of 1–8 gigahertz at 300 K. These findings not only enhance our understanding of the relationship between nonlinear response and magnetism, but also expand the potential applications as energy harvesters and detectors in high-frequency scenarios. The nonlinear Hall effect enables studies of symmetry and topology with potential in high-frequency devices, but practical applications demand room temperature operation. The authors report robust room temperature nonlinear transverse responses and microwave rectification (1–8 GHz) in MnBi2Te4 thin films, driven by extrinsic spin-orbit scattering.