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Spin-orbit torque switching of Néel order in band-inverted antiferromagnetic bilayer MnBi2Te4

Rajibul Islam, Shakeel Ahmad, and Fei Xue

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Phys. Rev. B 113, 134440 – Published 27 April, 2026

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/ljqk-968f

Abstract

Magnetic topological insulators host exotic phenomena such as the quantum anomalous Hall effect and quantized magnetoelectric responses, but dynamic electrical control of their topological phases remains elusive. Here we demonstrate from first principles that spin-orbit torque enables direct electrical switching of the Néel configuration in intrinsic antiferromagnetic bilayer MnBi2Te4, thereby reconfiguring its boundary spectrum. A symmetry-allowed interband (time-reversal even) torque persists inside the bulk gap, and deterministically reverses the Néel order and layer-resolved Chern marker without free carriers. Upon doping, both interband and intraband torques are amplified, lowering the critical electric field for switching by two orders of magnitude. Together, these results establish two complementary regimes of control: dissipationless in-gap torques without Joule heating, and enhanced current-induced torques, providing a robust route to manipulate a layer-resolved Chern marker and helical-like gapped edge modes in antiferromagnetic MnBi2Te4.

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Outline

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Phys. Rev. B 113, 134440– Published 27 April, 2026
  • Received 4 September 2025
  • Revised 24 February 2026
  • Accepted 8 April 2026
Article part of CHORUS
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