Low-Temperature Competing Magnetic Energy Scales in the Topological Ferrimagnet TbMn_{6}Sn_{6}

Abstract

TbMn_{6}Sn_{6} is a metallic ferrimagnet displaying signatures of both topological electrons and topological magnons arising from ferromagnetism and spin-orbit coupling within its Mn kagome layers. Inelastic neutron scattering measurements find strong ferromagnetic (FM) interactions within the Mn kagome layer and reveal a magnetic bandwidth of ∼230 meV. The low-energy magnetic excitations are characterized by strong FM Mn-Mn and antiferromagnetic (AFM) Mn-Tb interlayer magnetic couplings. We observe weaker, competing long-range FM and AFM Mn-Mn interlayer interactions similar to those driving helical magnetism in the YMn_{6}Sn_{6} system. Combined with density-functional theory calculations, we find that competing Mn-Mn interlayer magnetic interactions occur in all RMn_{6}Sn_{6} compounds with R=Y, Gd-Lu, resulting in magnetic instabilities and tunability when Mn-R interactions are weak. In the case of TbMn_{6}Sn_{6}, strong AFM Mn-Tb coupling ensures a highly stable three-dimensional ferrimagnetic network.