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Reconstructing the Wave Function of Magnetic Topological Insulators MnBi2Te4 and MnBi4Te7 Using Spin-Resolved Photoemission

Xue Han1,2, Jason Qu1,2, Hengxin Tan3, Zicheng Tao4, Noah M. Meyer1,2, Patrick S. Kirchmann1, Yanfeng Guo4,5, Binghai Yan3, Zhi-Xun Shen1,2,* et al.

Jonathan A. Sobota1,†

  • *Contact author: zxshen@stanford.edu
  • †Contact author: sobota@slac.stanford.edu

Phys. Rev. X 15, 031022 – Published 18 July, 2025

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/lfxc-lsc1

Abstract

Despite their importance for exotic quantum effects, the surface electronic structure of magnetic topological insulators MnBi2Te4 and MnBi4Te7 remains poorly understood. Using high-efficiency spin- and angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy, we directly image the spin-polarization and orbital character of the surface states in both compounds and map our observations onto a model wave function to describe the complex spin-orbital texture, which solidifies our understanding of the surface band structure by establishing the single-band nature of the most prominent states. Most importantly, our analysis reveals a new mechanism for reducing the magnetic gap of the topological surface states based on the orbital composition of the wave function.

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