Above 400-K robust perpendicular ferromagnetic phase in a topological insulator

Abstract

The quantum anomalous Hall effect (QAHE) that emerges under broken time-reversal symmetry in topological insulators (TIs) exhibits many fascinating physical properties for potential applications in nanoelectronics and spintronics. However, in transition metal-doped TIs, the only experimentally demonstrated QAHE system to date, the QAHE is lost at practically relevant temperatures. This constraint is imposed by the relatively low Curie temperature (<i>T</i>_c) and inherent spin disorder associated with the random magnetic dopants. We demonstrate drastically enhanced <i>T</i>_c by exchange coupling TIs to Tm₃Fe₅O₁₂, a high-<i>T</i>_c magnetic insulator with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy. Signatures showing that the TI surface states acquire robust ferromagnetism are revealed by distinct squared anomalous Hall hysteresis loops at 400 K. Point-contact Andreev reflection spectroscopy confirms that the TI surface is spin-polarized. The greatly enhanced <i>T</i>_c, absence of spin disorder, and perpendicular anisotropy are all essential to the occurrence of the QAHE at high temperatures.