Direct Visualization of Surface Spin-Flip Transition in MnBi_{4}Te_{7}.

Abstract

We report direct visualization of spin-flip transition of the surface layer in antiferromagnet MnBi_{4}Te_{7}, a natural superlattice of alternating MnBi_{2}Te_{4} and Bi_{2}Te_{3} layers, using cryogenic magnetic force microscopy (MFM). The observation of magnetic contrast across domain walls and step edges confirms that the antiferromagnetic order persists to the surface layers. The magnetic field dependence of the MFM images reveals that the surface magnetic layer undergoes a first-order spin-flip transition at a magnetic field that is lower than the bulk transition, in excellent agreement with a revised Mills model. Our analysis suggests no reduction of the order parameter in the surface magnetic layer, implying robust ferromagnetism in the single-layer limit. The direct visualization of surface spin-flip transition not only opens up exploration of surface metamagnetic transitions in layered antiferromagnets, but also provides experimental support for realizing quantized transport in ultrathin films of MnBi_{4}Te_{7} and other natural superlattice topological magnets.