Signature of spin flop in magnetotransport: Case study of the intermediate-anisotropy antiferromagnet TbBi
Phys. Rev. B 113, 144431 – Published 24 April, 2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/w4w8-4flc
Abstract
Rare-earth monopnictides offer a unique testbed for exploring the entanglement of localized moments with itinerant electrons. In this family, TbBi occupies a distinctive yet poorly understood position, characterized by intermediate magnetic anisotropy and a borderline topological electronic structure. In this paper, we combine magnetic and magnetotransport studies on TbBi single crystals to reveal how the moderate anisotropy governs both its magnetic phase diagram and charge conduction. We identify a field-induced spin-flop transition in the antiferromagnetic state that leaves a clear imprint on the bulk transport—most notably as a pronounced concave curvature in the isothermal magnetoresistance, a signature seldomly observed in rare-earth monopnictides. Angular magnetoresistance measurements further serve as a phase-sensitive probe: At low (∼2 K) or high (>10 K) temperatures, the response is governed by Fermi-surface anisotropy, resembling a nonmagnetic system. However, in a critical temperature window (2–10 K), additional extrema emerge that track the field- and angle-induced reorientation of the antiferromagnetic order from FeO-type phase to a spin-flop state, and vice versa. Our work not only fills a critical gap in understanding correlated phenomena in rare-earth monopnictides but also establishes TbBi as a key material for investigating spin-flop-driven anomalies in transport at the intersection of magnetic and topological phases.
