Interference effects induced by a precessing easy-plane magnet coupled to a helical edge state

authored by
Kevin A. Madsen, Piet W. Brouwer, Patrik Recher, Peter G. Silvestrov
Abstract

The interaction of a magnetic insulator with the helical electronic edge of a two-dimensional topological insulator has been shown to lead to many interesting phenomena. One of these is that for a suitable orientation of the magnetic anisotropy axis, the exchange coupling to an easy-plane magnet has no effect on DC electrical transport through a helical edge, despite the fact that it opens a gap in the spectrum of the helical edge [Meng, Phys. Rev. B 90, 205403 (2014)PRBMDO1098-012110.1103/PhysRevB.90.205403]. Here, we theoretically consider such a magnet embedded in an interferometer, consisting of a pair of helical edge states connected by two tunneling contacts, at which electrons can tunnel between the two edges. Using a scattering matrix approach, we show that the presence of the magnet in one of the interferometer arms gives rise to AC currents in response to an applied DC voltage. On the other hand, the DC Aharonov-Bohm effect is absent at zero temperature and small DC voltages, and only appears if the applied voltage or the temperature exceeds the magnet-induced excitation gap.

External Organisation(s)
Freie Universität Berlin (FU Berlin)
Technische Universität Braunschweig
Laboratory for Emerging Nanometrology Braunschweig (LENA)
Type
Article
Journal
Physical Review B
Volume
103
ISSN
2469-9950
Publication date
24.03.2021
Publication status
Published
Peer reviewed
Yes
ASJC Scopus subject areas
Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials, Condensed Matter Physics
Electronic version(s)
https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.103.115142 (Access: Unknown)