Issue 17, 2018

Quantum anomalous Hall effect in a stable 1T-YN2 monolayer with a large nontrivial bandgap and a high Chern number

Abstract

The quantum anomalous Hall (QAH) effect is a topologically nontrivial phase, characterized by a non-zero Chern number defined in the bulk and chiral edge states in the boundary. Using first-principles calculations, we demonstrate the presence of the QAH effect in a 1T-YN2 monolayer, which was recently predicted to be a Dirac half metal without spin–orbit coupling (SOC). We show that the inclusion of SOC opens up a large nontrivial bandgap of nearly 0.1 eV in the electronic band structure. This results in the nontrivial bulk topology, which is confirmed by the calculation of Berry curvature, anomalous Hall conductance and the presence of chiral edge states. Remarkably, a QAH phase of high Chern number C = 3 is found, and there are three corresponding gapless chiral edge states emerging inside the bulk gap. Different substrates are also chosen to study the possible experimental realization of the 1T-YN2 monolayer, while retaining its nontrivial topological properties. Our results open a new avenue in searching for QAH insulators with high temperature and high Chern numbers, which can have nontrivial practical applications.

Graphical abstract: Quantum anomalous Hall effect in a stable 1T-YN2 monolayer with a large nontrivial bandgap and a high Chern number

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
21 Jan 2018
Accepted
27 Mar 2018
First published
28 Mar 2018

Nanoscale, 2018,10, 8153-8161

Quantum anomalous Hall effect in a stable 1T-YN2 monolayer with a large nontrivial bandgap and a high Chern number

X. Kong, L. Li, O. Leenaerts, W. Wang, X. Liu and F. M. Peeters, Nanoscale, 2018, 10, 8153 DOI: 10.1039/C8NR00571K

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