Quantum anomalous Hall effect in topological insulator memory

Abstract

We theoretically investigate the quantum anomalous Hall effect (QAHE) in a magnetically coupled three-dimensional-topological insulator (3D-TI) system. We apply the generalized spin-orbit coupling Hamiltonian to obtain the Hall conductivity σxy of the system. The underlying topology of the QAHE phenomenon is then analyzed to show the quantization of σxy and its relation to the Berry phase of the system. Finally, we analyze the feasibility of utilizing σxy as a memory read-out in a 3D-TI based memory at finite temperatures, with comparison to known magnetically doped 3D-TIs.