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    Pressure-induced dimerization and valence bond crystal formation in the Kitaev-Heisenberg magnet α-RuCl3
    (College Park, MD : American Physical Society, 2018) Bastien, G.; Garbarino, G.; Yadav, R.; Martinez-Casado, F.J.; Beltrán, Rodríguez, R.; Stahl, Q.; Kusch, M.; Limandri, S.P.; Ray, R.; Lampen-Kelley, P.; Mandrus, D.G.; Nagler, S.E.; Roslova, M.; Isaeva, A.; Doert, T.; Hozoi, L.; Wolter, A.U.B.; Büchner, B.; Geck, J.; Van Den Brink, J.
    Magnetization and high-resolution x-ray diffraction measurements of the Kitaev-Heisenberg material α-RuCl3 reveal a pressure-induced crystallographic and magnetic phase transition at a hydrostatic pressure of p∼0.2 GPa. This structural transition into a triclinic phase is characterized by a very strong dimerization of the Ru-Ru bonds, accompanied by a collapse of the magnetic susceptibility. Ab initio quantum-chemistry calculations disclose a pressure-induced enhancement of the direct 4d-4d bonding on particular Ru-Ru links, causing a sharp increase of the antiferromagnetic exchange interactions. These combined experimental and computational data show that the Kitaev spin-liquid phase in α-RuCl3 strongly competes with the crystallization of spin singlets into a valence bond solid.
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    Spin-glass state and reversed magnetic anisotropy induced by Cr doping in the Kitaev magnet α-RuCl3
    (College Park, MD : American Physical Society, 2019) Bastien, G.; Roslova, M.; Haghighi, M.H.; Mehlawat, K.; Hunger, J.; Isaeva, A.; Doert, T.; Vojta, M.; Büchner, B.; Wolter, A.U.B.
    Magnetic properties of the substitution series Ru1-xCrxCl3 were investigated to determine the evolution from the anisotropic Kitaev magnet α-RuCl3 with Jeff=1/2 magnetic Ru3+ ions to the isotropic Heisenberg magnet CrCl3 with S=3/2 magnetic Cr3+ ions. Magnetization measurements on single crystals revealed a reversal of the magnetic anisotropy under doping, which we argue to arise from the competition between anisotropic Kitaev and off-diagonal interactions on the Ru-Ru links and approximately isotropic Cr-Ru and isotropic Cr-Cr interactions. In addition, combined magnetization, ac susceptibility, and specific-heat measurements clearly show the destabilization of the long-range magnetic order of α-RuCl3 in favor of a spin-glass state of Ru1-xCrxCl3 for a low doping of x≤0.1. The corresponding freezing temperature as a function of Cr content shows a broad maximum around x ≤ 0.45.
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    Topological Electronic Structure and Intrinsic Magnetization in MnBi4Te7: A Bi2Te3 Derivative with a Periodic Mn Sublattice
    (College Park, MD : American Physical Society, 2019) Vidal, R.C.; Zeugner, A.; Facio, J.I.; Ray, R.; Haghighi, M.H.; Wolter, A.U.B.; Corredor, Bohorquez, L.T.; Caglieris, F.; Moser, S.; Figgemeier, T.; Peixoto, T.R.F.; Vasili, H.B.; Valvidares, M.; Jung, S.; Cacho, C.; Alfonsov, A.; Mehlawat, K.; Kataev, V.; Hess, C.; Richter, M.; Büchner, B.; Van Den Brink, J.; Ruck, M.; Reinert, F.; Bentmann, H.; Isaeva, A.
    Combinations of nontrivial band topology and long-range magnetic order hold promise for realizations of novel spintronic phenomena, such as the quantum anomalous Hall effect and the topological magnetoelectric effect. Following theoretical advances, material candidates are emerging. Yet, so far a compound that combines a band-inverted electronic structure with an intrinsic net magnetization remains unrealized. MnBi2Te4 has been established as the first antiferromagnetic topological insulator and constitutes the progenitor of a modular (Bi2Te3)n(MnBi2Te4) series. Here, for n=1, we confirm a nonstoichiometric composition proximate to MnBi4Te7. We establish an antiferromagnetic state below 13 K followed by a state with a net magnetization and ferromagnetic-like hysteresis below 5 K. Angle-resolved photoemission experiments and density-functional calculations reveal a topologically nontrivial surface state on the MnBi4Te7(0001) surface, analogous to the nonmagnetic parent compound Bi2Te3. Our results establish MnBi4Te7 as the first band-inverted compound with intrinsic net magnetization providing a versatile platform for the realization of magnetic topological states of matter.