Demonstration of robust chiral edge transport in Chern insulator MnBi2Te4 devices with engineered geometric defects

Fuente: arXiv
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Autori principali: Wang, Pinyuan, Ge, Jun, Luo, Jiawei, Liu, Xiaoqi, Fei, Fucong, Song, Fengqi, Wang, Jian
Natura: Preprint
Pubblicazione: 2026
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author Wang, Pinyuan
Ge, Jun
Luo, Jiawei
Liu, Xiaoqi
Fei, Fucong
Song, Fengqi
Wang, Jian
author_facet Wang, Pinyuan
Ge, Jun
Luo, Jiawei
Liu, Xiaoqi
Fei, Fucong
Song, Fengqi
Wang, Jian
contents Chiral edge states in Chern insulators are theoretically predicted to propagate unidirectionally along the sample boundary with inherent robustness against local perturbations, which manifests as the immunity to impurity-induced backscattering, a key factor for the development of robust, high-performance quantum devices. However, the direct experimental verification of the robustness of chiral edge states remains scarce. Here, we experimentally validate the robustness of the chiral edge states in MnBi2Te4 devices featuring engineered geometric defects introduced via atomic force microscope (AFM) nanomachining. Specifically, under a moderate perpendicular magnetic field, the MnBi2Te4 devices exhibit the Chern insulator state, characterized by a quantized Hall plateau and simultaneously vanishing longitudinal resistance. To verify the robustness of this topological state, we modify the device geometry by cutting a slit using AFM nanomachining that severs the original edge channel. Remarkably, the quantization behavior survives this drastic modification. The robust nature of the chiral edge transport is further confirmed by two-terminal, three-terminal and non-local measurements, fully demonstrating that the edge currents can bypass the artificial cut without dissipation. Our results unambiguously demonstrate the robustness of chiral edge states against geometric disruption and establish AFM nanomachining as a promising technique for topological quantum devices engineering.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2603_03927
institution arXiv
publishDate 2026
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Demonstration of robust chiral edge transport in Chern insulator MnBi2Te4 devices with engineered geometric defects
Wang, Pinyuan
Ge, Jun
Luo, Jiawei
Liu, Xiaoqi
Fei, Fucong
Song, Fengqi
Wang, Jian
Mesoscale and Nanoscale Physics
Materials Science
Chiral edge states in Chern insulators are theoretically predicted to propagate unidirectionally along the sample boundary with inherent robustness against local perturbations, which manifests as the immunity to impurity-induced backscattering, a key factor for the development of robust, high-performance quantum devices. However, the direct experimental verification of the robustness of chiral edge states remains scarce. Here, we experimentally validate the robustness of the chiral edge states in MnBi2Te4 devices featuring engineered geometric defects introduced via atomic force microscope (AFM) nanomachining. Specifically, under a moderate perpendicular magnetic field, the MnBi2Te4 devices exhibit the Chern insulator state, characterized by a quantized Hall plateau and simultaneously vanishing longitudinal resistance. To verify the robustness of this topological state, we modify the device geometry by cutting a slit using AFM nanomachining that severs the original edge channel. Remarkably, the quantization behavior survives this drastic modification. The robust nature of the chiral edge transport is further confirmed by two-terminal, three-terminal and non-local measurements, fully demonstrating that the edge currents can bypass the artificial cut without dissipation. Our results unambiguously demonstrate the robustness of chiral edge states against geometric disruption and establish AFM nanomachining as a promising technique for topological quantum devices engineering.
title Demonstration of robust chiral edge transport in Chern insulator MnBi2Te4 devices with engineered geometric defects
topic Mesoscale and Nanoscale Physics
Materials Science
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2603.03927