Controlled large non-reciprocal charge transport in an intrinsic magnetic topological insulator MnBi₂Te₄.

Abstract

Symmetries, quantum geometries and electronic correlations are among the most important ingredients of condensed matters, and lead to nontrivial phenomena in experiments, for example, non-reciprocal charge transport. Of particular interest is whether the non-reciprocal transport can be manipulated. Here, we report the controllable large non-reciprocal charge transport in the intrinsic magnetic topological insulator MnBi₂Te₄. The current direction relevant resistance is observed at chiral edges, which is magnetically switchable, edge position sensitive and stacking sequence controllable. Applying gate voltage can also effectively manipulate the non-reciprocal response. The observation and manipulation of non-reciprocal charge transport reveals the fundamental role of chirality in charge transport of MnBi₂Te₄, and pave ways to develop van der Waals spintronic devices by chirality engineering.