Researchers are reporting unexpected room-temperature behavior in the quantum magnet TbMn6Sn6, a centrosymmetric material exhibiting higher-order nonlinear electronic transport. This finding reveals that magnetic fields and nanoscale patterning can tune the material’s electronic response, with a spin-reorientation transition driving complex temperature dependence.
“The field-dependent quantum metric component can be tuned via magnetic configuration, or through chiral nanostructure patterning,” the researchers say, suggesting new avenues for controlling quantum materials. In related work, the team found a nonlinear transverse response in YbCo6Ge6 that surpasses the performance of both disordered systems and engineered quantum heterostructures across a wide temperature range, from 2 Kelvin to 350 Kelvin.
Room-Temperature Higher-Order Nonlinearity in Centrosymmetric TbMn6Sn6
TbMn6Sn6 exhibits room-temperature higher-order nonlinear electronic transport despite being a centrosymmetric material, which is surprising given the expected symmetry constraints. A spin-reorientation transition within the material is directly linked to the complex temperature dependence observed in its nonlinear electronic response, revealing an interplay between magnetism and electronic behavior. The field-dependent quantum metric component within TbMn6Sn6 can be adjusted through manipulation of its magnetic configuration, or alternatively, by creating chiral nanostructures.
This response remains consistent across a broad temperature range, persisting from 2 Kelvin up to 350 Kelvin, indicating robust functionality. Intrinsic structural disorder and short-range correlated motifs are primary drivers for this robust, anisotropic second-order nonlinear transverse response. The ability to tune these nonlinear responses via external stimuli and material design opens avenues for novel device concepts and a deeper understanding of fundamental quantum phenomena, highlighting the potential of quantum materials for future technologies reliant on efficient and tunable electronic responses.
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