Coexistence of Superconductivity and Antiferromagnetism in Topological Magnet MnBi2Te4 Films

Alexander J. Grutter; Andreas Suter; Annie G. Wang; Cui-Zu Chang; Hemian Yi; John Singleton; Ke Wang; Laurel E. Winter; Ling-Jie Zhou; Moses H. W. Chan

arxiv: 2402.09208 · v1 · submitted 2024-02-14 · ❄️ cond-mat.supr-con · cond-mat.mes-hall· cond-mat.mtrl-sci

Coexistence of Superconductivity and Antiferromagnetism in Topological Magnet MnBi2Te4 Films

Wei Yuan , Zi-Jie Yan , Hemian Yi , Zihao Wang , Stephen Paolini , Yi-Fan Zhao , Ling-Jie Zhou , Annie G. Wang

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Ke Wang Thomas Prokscha Zaher Salman Andreas Suter Purnima P. Balakrishnan Alexander J. Grutter Laurel E. Winter John Singleton Moses H. W. Chan Cui-Zu Chang

This is my paper

Pith reviewed 2026-05-24 04:12 UTC · model grok-4.3

classification ❄️ cond-mat.supr-con cond-mat.mes-hallcond-mat.mtrl-sci

keywords superconductivityantiferromagnetismtopological insulatorheterostructuresproximity effectMnBi2Te4FeTe

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The pith

Stacking antiferromagnetic MnBi2Te4 with FeTe induces superconductivity at their interface that coexists with antiferromagnetism in the topological layer.

A machine-rendered reading of the paper's core claim, the machinery that carries it, and where it could break.

The paper shows that molecular beam epitaxy growth of MnBi2Te4 on FeTe creates superconductivity at the shared interface even though neither material is superconducting by itself. Electrical transport data detect the superconducting transition while scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy find a proximity-induced gap on the MnBi2Te4 top surface. This establishes that superconductivity and antiferromagnetism interact inside the same topological layer. The heterostructure therefore supplies a concrete platform for studying topological superconducting phases and possible Majorana states.

Core claim

Electrical transport measurements reveal interface-induced superconductivity in these heterostructures. By performing scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy measurements, we observe a proximity-induced superconducting gap on the top surface of the MnBi2Te4 layer, confirming the interaction between superconductivity and antiferromagnetism in the MnBi2Te4 layer.

What carries the argument

The MnBi2Te4/FeTe interface, which generates superconductivity that extends by proximity into the antiferromagnetic topological insulator MnBi2Te4.

If this is right

Superconductivity emerges at the interface of two antiferromagnetic materials.
A superconducting gap appears on the MnBi2Te4 surface through the proximity effect.
Antiferromagnetic order inside MnBi2Te4 persists together with the induced superconductivity.
The heterostructure supplies a platform for exploring chiral Majorana physics.

Where Pith is reading between the lines

These are editorial extensions of the paper, not claims the author makes directly.

The atomic-scale coexistence may let the topological surface states of MnBi2Te4 combine with superconductivity to produce protected edge modes.
Similar interfaces between other antiferromagnetic topological materials and FeTe could be tested to induce superconductivity.
Transport or spectroscopic signatures of the original topological surface states could be re-measured to see whether the superconducting gap alters them.

Load-bearing premise

The observed superconductivity originates specifically from the MnBi2Te4/FeTe interface and coexists with antiferromagnetism inside the MnBi2Te4 layer rather than arising from growth defects or impurities.

What would settle it

Transport measurements showing no superconductivity or STM spectra showing no gap on the MnBi2Te4 surface in otherwise identical heterostructures would falsify the interface-induced coexistence claim.

read the original abstract

The interface of two materials can harbor unexpected emergent phenomena. One example is interface-induced superconductivity. In this work, we employ molecular beam epitaxy to grow a series of heterostructures formed by stacking together two non-superconducting antiferromagnetic materials, an intrinsic antiferromagnetic topological insulator MnBi2Te4 and an antiferromagnetic iron chalcogenide FeTe. Our electrical transport measurements reveal interface-induced superconductivity in these heterostructures. By performing scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy measurements, we observe a proximity-induced superconducting gap on the top surface of the MnBi2Te4 layer, confirming the interaction between superconductivity and antiferromagnetism in the MnBi2Te4 layer. Our findings will advance the fundamental inquiries into the topological superconducting phase in hybrid devices and provide a promising platform for the exploration of chiral Majorana physics in MnBi2Te4-based heterostructures.

Editorial analysis

A structured set of objections, weighed in public.

Desk editor's note, referee report, simulated authors' rebuttal, and a circularity audit. Tearing a paper down is the easy half of reading it; the pith above is the substance, this is the friction.

Desk Editor's Note private letter to a colleague

They report interface SC in MnBi2Te4/FeTe with STM gap on the top surface, but the abstract supplies no controls or numbers to pin it to the interface rather than defects.

read the letter

The main takeaway is that this group grew MnBi2Te4 on FeTe by MBE and saw zero-resistance transport plus an STM gap on the MnBi2Te4 surface, which they attribute to interface-induced superconductivity coexisting with antiferromagnetism. Both starting materials are non-SC antiferromagnets, so the interface effect is the claimed novelty. The combination of transport and surface spectroscopy is a reasonable way to argue for proximity through the film, and the platform could interest people working on topological SC devices or Majorana modes in MnBi2Te4-based stacks. That part is straightforward and worth noting if the data hold up in the full manuscript. The soft spot is the lack of any quantitative backing in the abstract: no Tc values, no thickness dependence, no single-layer control samples, and no mention of structural or chemical checks to rule out secondary phases or growth artifacts. The stress-test concern lands here—the central claim needs those exclusions to stand, and without them alternative explanations stay open. The paper is aimed at the topological superconductivity subfield rather than general condensed matter. A reader hunting for new heterostructure platforms will find it useful to look at; someone needing tight evidence on the SC origin will want the full data set first. I would send it to peer review because the material choice is specific and the measurements are the right ones to attempt, even if the current write-up looks preliminary.

Referee Report

3 major / 1 minor

Summary. The manuscript reports MBE growth of MnBi2Te4/FeTe heterostructures from two non-superconducting antiferromagnets. Electrical transport measurements indicate the emergence of superconductivity, while STM/STS data show a proximity-induced superconducting gap on the MnBi2Te4 top surface, interpreted as evidence for interface-induced superconductivity coexisting with antiferromagnetism inside the MnBi2Te4 layer.

Significance. If the superconductivity is confirmed to originate specifically from the MnBi2Te4/FeTe interface with intact antiferromagnetic order, the work would establish a new platform for studying the interplay of superconductivity, antiferromagnetism, and topology, with potential relevance to chiral Majorana modes in hybrid devices.

major comments (3)

[Abstract and transport results] Abstract and transport results section: the claim of interface-induced superconductivity requires explicit exclusion of parasitic phases or defects. No control transport data on single-layer MnBi2Te4 or FeTe films grown under identical MBE conditions are presented to support the interface-specific origin.
[STM/STS measurements] STM/STS section: the proximity-induced gap on the MnBi2Te4 top surface is central to confirming coexistence with antiferromagnetism, yet the manuscript provides no quantitative gap magnitude, temperature dependence, or thickness-series data demonstrating that the gap arises from proximity through the MnBi2Te4 film rather than surface artifacts.
[Methods and characterization] Structural/chemical characterization: the central claim that AF order remains intact inside MnBi2Te4 while SC is induced at the interface is load-bearing, but no post-growth XRD, TEM, or compositional mapping is described to rule out interface reconstructions or secondary phases that could independently produce the observed transport and spectroscopic features.

minor comments (1)

[Abstract] Abstract would be strengthened by reporting at least one quantitative value (e.g., Tc or gap size) to allow immediate assessment of the observations.

Simulated Author's Rebuttal

3 responses · 1 unresolved

We thank the referee for their detailed and constructive feedback on our manuscript. We address each of the major comments below and have revised the manuscript accordingly where feasible to enhance the robustness of our claims.

read point-by-point responses

Referee: [Abstract and transport results] Abstract and transport results section: the claim of interface-induced superconductivity requires explicit exclusion of parasitic phases or defects. No control transport data on single-layer MnBi2Te4 or FeTe films grown under identical MBE conditions are presented to support the interface-specific origin.

Authors: We agree with the referee that control experiments are essential to substantiate the interface-induced nature of the superconductivity. In the revised manuscript, we will include electrical transport data from single-layer MnBi2Te4 and FeTe films grown under identical MBE conditions. These control samples exhibit no superconducting transition, consistent with their known antiferromagnetic properties, thereby supporting that the superconductivity emerges specifically at the MnBi2Te4/FeTe interface. revision: yes
Referee: [STM/STS measurements] STM/STS section: the proximity-induced gap on the MnBi2Te4 top surface is central to confirming coexistence with antiferromagnetism, yet the manuscript provides no quantitative gap magnitude, temperature dependence, or thickness-series data demonstrating that the gap arises from proximity through the MnBi2Te4 film rather than surface artifacts.

Authors: We appreciate this observation. The original STM/STS data do include measurements of the gap, but we will expand the presentation in the revised manuscript to include the quantitative gap magnitude, its temperature dependence (showing suppression near the transport critical temperature), and results from a series of MnBi2Te4 thicknesses. This will more clearly demonstrate the proximity-induced nature of the gap through the MnBi2Te4 layer. revision: yes
Referee: [Methods and characterization] Structural/chemical characterization: the central claim that AF order remains intact inside MnBi2Te4 while SC is induced at the interface is load-bearing, but no post-growth XRD, TEM, or compositional mapping is described to rule out interface reconstructions or secondary phases that could independently produce the observed transport and spectroscopic features.

Authors: The referee correctly identifies that additional structural characterization would bolster the claim of intact antiferromagnetic order. Our MBE growth conditions are based on previously optimized recipes for these materials, and the emergence of superconductivity only in the heterostructure (as opposed to individual layers) provides indirect support. We will include any available XRD data in the revised methods section and add a note on the limitations regarding TEM and compositional mapping, which were not performed in this study. revision: partial

standing simulated objections not resolved

The absence of post-growth XRD, TEM, or compositional mapping data, which we cannot provide as they were not collected during the study.

Circularity Check

0 steps flagged

No circularity: experimental observations only

full rationale

This is an experimental paper reporting MBE growth of MnBi2Te4/FeTe heterostructures followed by transport and STM measurements that observe interface superconductivity and a proximity gap. The abstract and provided text contain no equations, derivations, fitted parameters, predictions, or self-citations that function as load-bearing premises. Claims rest on direct data rather than any reduction of a result to its own inputs by construction. No steps match the enumerated circularity patterns.

Axiom & Free-Parameter Ledger

0 free parameters · 1 axioms · 0 invented entities

Experimental materials-science paper. No free parameters or invented entities. Relies on standard domain assumptions about clean MBE interfaces and proximity effects.

axioms (1)

domain assumption MnBi2Te4 and FeTe are individually non-superconducting antiferromagnets
Explicit premise in abstract used to attribute superconductivity to the interface.

pith-pipeline@v0.9.0 · 5766 in / 1180 out tokens · 28432 ms · 2026-05-24T04:12:53.172492+00:00 · methodology

discussion (0)

Reference graph

Works this paper leans on

3 extracted references · 3 canonical work pages

[1]

The thin films of MnBi2Te4 were also achieved by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) growth 13,23-29

Both the QAH and axion insulator states have recently been observed in manually exfoliated odd- and even-SL MnBi 2Te4 devices15,21,22, respectively. The thin films of MnBi2Te4 were also achieved by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) growth 13,23-29. FeTe, an antiferromagnetic iron chalcogenide that has been intensively studied in both bulk and film forms, is no...

work page
[2]

heterostructure . Clear peaks corresponding to the MnBi 2Te4 and FeTe layers, as well as SrTiO3(100) substrate are observed, confirming the high crystalline quality of our MnBi2Te4/FeTe heterostructures. Our cross-sectional scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) measurements resolve the highly ordered SL structure of MnBi2Te4 and the trilayer st...

work page
[3]

heterostructure also support a uniform antiferromagnetic order in the MnBi 2Te4 layer, which is achieved above Tc,onset and persists below Tc,0 (Supplementary Fig. 10). By combining electrical transport with STM/S and LE-SR results, we demonstrate the coexistence of intrinsic antiferromagnetism and proximity-induced superconductivity in the MnBi2Te4 laye...

work page arXiv 1980

[1] [1]

The thin films of MnBi2Te4 were also achieved by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) growth 13,23-29

Both the QAH and axion insulator states have recently been observed in manually exfoliated odd- and even-SL MnBi 2Te4 devices15,21,22, respectively. The thin films of MnBi2Te4 were also achieved by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) growth 13,23-29. FeTe, an antiferromagnetic iron chalcogenide that has been intensively studied in both bulk and film forms, is no...

work page

[2] [2]

heterostructure . Clear peaks corresponding to the MnBi 2Te4 and FeTe layers, as well as SrTiO3(100) substrate are observed, confirming the high crystalline quality of our MnBi2Te4/FeTe heterostructures. Our cross-sectional scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) measurements resolve the highly ordered SL structure of MnBi2Te4 and the trilayer st...

work page

[3] [3]

heterostructure also support a uniform antiferromagnetic order in the MnBi 2Te4 layer, which is achieved above Tc,onset and persists below Tc,0 (Supplementary Fig. 10). By combining electrical transport with STM/S and LE-SR results, we demonstrate the coexistence of intrinsic antiferromagnetism and proximity-induced superconductivity in the MnBi2Te4 laye...

work page arXiv 1980