Nature Communications (May 2017)

Observation of the universal magnetoelectric effect in a 3D topological insulator

  • V. Dziom,
  • A. Shuvaev,
  • A. Pimenov,
  • G. V. Astakhov,
  • C. Ames,
  • K. Bendias,
  • J. Böttcher,
  • G. Tkachov,
  • E. M. Hankiewicz,
  • C. Brüne,
  • H. Buhmann,
  • L. W. Molenkamp

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms15197
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 8, no. 1
pp. 1 – 8

Abstract

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The electrodynamics of topological insulators has been predicted to show a new magnetoelectric term, but this hasn’t been observed. Here, Dziomet al. observe a universal Faraday rotation angle equal to the fine structure constant, evidencing the so-called topological magnetoelectric effect.