Anomalous Landau quantization in intrinsic magnetic topological insulators

Abstract

Abstract The intrinsic magnetic topological insulator, Mn(Bi1−xSbx)2Te4, has been identified as a Weyl semimetal with a single pair of Weyl nodes in its spin-aligned strong-field configuration. A direct consequence of the Weyl state is the layer dependent Chern number, $$C$$ C . Previous reports in MnBi2Te4 thin films have shown higher $$C$$ C states either by increasing the film thickness or controlling the chemical potential. A clear picture of the higher Chern states is still lacking as data interpretation is further complicated by the emergence of surface-band Landau levels under magnetic fields. Here, we report a tunable layer-dependent $$C$$ C = 1 state with Sb substitution by performing a detailed analysis of the quantization states in Mn(Bi1−xSbx)2Te4 dual-gated devices—consistent with calculations of the bulk Weyl point separation in the doped thin films. The observed Hall quantization plateaus for our thicker Mn(Bi1−xSbx)2Te4 films under strong magnetic fields can be interpreted by a theory of surface and bulk spin-polarised Landau level spectra in thin film magnetic topological insulators.