Magnetic topological insulators provide a unique platform to explore the interplay between magnetism and topology. MnBi2Te4, known for its A-type antiferromagnetic (AFM) ground state, undergoes a striking transformation when single crystals are grown in an applied magnetic field. Despite retaining the same crystal structure, field-grown MnBi2Te4 exhibits a ferromagnetic (FM) ground state with a Curie temperature of ∼ 12.5 K, confirmed by magnetization, magnetic torque, electrical resistivity, and specific heat measurements. First-principles calculations support these findings, revealing that magnetic-field-assisted synthesis can effectively reconfigure the ground-state spin order and thereby modify the material's electronic properties, as reflected in the de Haas-van Alphen oscillation seen in the magnetic torque.
@article{arxiv.2605.02119,
title = {Metastable MnBi$_2$Te$_4$ enabled by magnetic-field-assisted synthesis},
author = {Abhinna Rajbanshi and G. M. Zills and Alexander M. Donald and Daniel Duong and David Graf and James J. Hamlin and Mark W. Meisel and I. Vekhter and Williams A. Shelton and Rongying Jin},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2605.02119},
year = {2026}
}