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arXiv · 2303.05664

Giant periodic pseudo-magnetic fields in strained kagome magnet FeSn epitaxial films on SrTiO$_3$(111) substrate

Huimin Zhang·Michael Weinert·Lian Li
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Abstract

Quantum materials, particularly Dirac materials with linearly dispersing bands, can be effectively tuned by strain-induced lattice distortions leading to a pseudo-magnetic field that strongly modulates their electronic properties. Here, we grow kagome magnet FeSn films, consisting of alternatingly stacked Sn$_2$ honeycomb (stanene) and Fe$_3$Sn kagome layers, on SrTiO$_3$(111) substrates by molecular beam epitaxy. Using scanning tunneling microscopy/spectroscopy, we show that the Sn honeycomb layer can be periodically deformed by epitaxial strain for film thickness below 10 nm, resulting in differential conductance peaks consistent with Landau levels generated by a pseudo-magnetic field greater than 1000 T. Our findings demonstrate the feasibility of strain engineering the electronic properties of topological magnets at the nanoscale.

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Huimin Zhang, Michael Weinert, Lian Li. 2023-03-10. Giant periodic pseudo-magnetic fields in strained kagome magnet FeSn epitaxial films on SrTiO$_3$(111) substrate. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.nanolett.3c00345

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