The layer Hall effect (LHE) arises from the imbalanced Berry curvature distribution in different layers, which has been experimentally realized in the $\text{Mn}{\text{Bi}}_2{\text{Te}}_4$ thin films under perpendicular electric fields that break PT symmetry. Here, we present the LHE in a topological insulator heterostructure with intrinsically broken PT symmetry based on first-principles and tight-binding model calculations. Taking the topological insulator heterostructure ${\mathrm{Sb}}_2{\mathrm{Te}}_3/{\mathrm{Bi}}_2{\mathrm{Te}}_3$ as a concrete example, we demonstrate the feasibility of inducing the LHE only by coupling the top and bottom surfaces of ${\mathrm{Sb}}_2{\mathrm{Te}}_3/{\mathrm{Bi}}_2{\mathrm{Te}}_3$ heterostructure with magnetic insulator $\text{Mn}{\text{Bi}}_2{\text{Te}}_4$. Remarkably, an enhanced LHE with a broadened observable energy window and the $C=1/2$ parity anomaly state can be achieved by tuning the stacking order between the topological insulator and magnetic layers. This work offers an experimentally feasible platform for realizing the LHE, given the recent successful fabrication of epitaxial ${\mathrm{Sb}}_2{\mathrm{Te}}_3/{\mathrm{Bi}}_2{\mathrm{Te}}_3$ heterostructures.

Close

PrevNext

View figure in article

• Anomalous Hall effect
• Electrical conductivity
• Electrical properties
• Magnetism
• Spintronics
• Topological insulators