arXiv subjects

Joseph Poata

Publications and source records attributed to Joseph Poata.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Persistent altermagnetism

Persistent spin textures with collinear spin polarization are promising platforms for spintronics applications. However, their typically relativistic spin-orbit origin leads to weak spin splittings and fragile spin coherence. Here, we demonstrate a previously overlooked class of robust collinear spin polarization protected by mirror symmetry in combination with a strong exchange-driven altermagnetic order, which persists even in the presence of spin-orbit coupling. By combining first-principles calculations with a systematic classification of spin and magnetic layer groups, we identify this phenomenon-termed persistent altermagnetic spin polarization (PASP)-to occur in 158 spin layer groups and in representative materials including metallic V$_2$Te$_2$O, insulating La$_2$CuO$_4$, and semiconducting VSI$_2$. Furthermore, we theoretically demonstrate that PASP is ferroelectrically switchable in VSI$_2$. Finally, we show that this PASP switching can lead to large changes in spin-filtering conductance in a model all-altermagnetic junction. Our results open the possibility of employing PASP in all-altermagnetic magnetic memory and spin-transistor devices and establish universal principles of altermagnetism in spin-orbit-coupled monolayers.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2024

Topological nano-switches in higher-order topological insulators

We consider multi-terminal transport through a flake of rectangular shape of a two-dimensional topological insulator in the presence of an in-plane magnetic field. This system has been shown to be a second-order topological insulator, thus exhibiting corner states at its boundaries. The position of the corner states and their decay length can be controlled by the direction of the magnetic field. In the leads we assume that the magnetic field is absent and therefore we have helical one-dimensional propagating states characteristic of the spin-Hall effect. Using a low-energy effective Hamiltonian we show analytically that, in a two-terminal setup, transport can be turned on and off by a rotation of the in-plane magnetic field. Similarly, in a three terminal configuration, the in-plane magnetic field can be used to turn on and off the transmission between neighbouring contacts, thus realising a directional switch. Analytical calculations are supplemented by a numerical finite-difference method. For small values of the Fermi energy and field strength, the analytical results agree exceptionally well with the numerics. The effect of disorder is also addressed in the numerical approach. We find that the switching functionality is remarkably robust to the presence of strong disorder stemming from the topological nature of the states contributing to the electron transport.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2023

Corner states of two-dimensional second-order topological insulators with a chiral symmetry and broken time reversal and charge conjugation

Two-dimensional second-order topological insulators are characterized by the presence of topologically protected zero-energy bound states localized at the corners of a flake. In this paper we theoretically study the occurrence and features of such corner states inside flakes in the shape of a convex polygon. We consider two different models, both in Cartan class IIIA, the first obeying inversion symmetry and the other obeying a combined $\pi/4$ rotation symmetry and time-reversal symmetry ($\hat{C}_4^z\hat{T}$). By using an analytical effective model of an edge corresponding to a massive Dirac fermion, we determine the presence of a corner state between two given edges by studying the sign of their induced masses and derive general rules for flakes in the shape of a convex polygon. In particular, we find that the number of corner states in a flake is always two in the first model, while in the second model there are either 0, 2 or 4. To corroborate our findings, we focus on flakes of specific shapes (a triangle and a square) and use a numerical finite-difference approach to determine the features of the corner states in terms of their probability density. In the case of a triangular flake, we can change the position of corner states by rotating the flake in the first model, while in the second model we can also change their number. Remarkably, when the induced mass of an edge is zero the corresponding corner state becomes delocalized along the edge. In the case of a square flake and the model with $\hat{C}_4^z\hat{T}$ symmetry, there is an orientation of the flake with respect to the crystal axes, for which the corner states extend along the whole perimeter of the square.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗