Topological magnon insulators in two-dimensional van der Waals ferromagnets CrSiTe3 and CrGeTe3: Toward intrinsic gap-tunability

Sci Adv. 2021 Sep 10;7(37):eabi7532. doi: 10.1126/sciadv.abi7532. Epub 2021 Sep 10.

Abstract

The bosonic analogs of topological insulators have been proposed in numerous theoretical works, but their experimental realization is still very rare, especially for spin systems. Recently, two-dimensional (2D) honeycomb van der Waals ferromagnets have emerged as a new platform for topological spin excitations. Here, via a comprehensive inelastic neutron scattering study and theoretical analysis of the spin-wave excitations, we report the realization of topological magnon insulators in CrXTe3 (X = Si, Ge) compounds. The nontrivial nature and intrinsic tunability of the gap opening at the magnon band-crossing Dirac points are confirmed, while the emergence of the corresponding in-gap topological edge states is demonstrated theoretically. The realization of topological magnon insulators with intrinsic gap-unability in this class of remarkable 2D materials will undoubtedly lead to new and fascinating technological applications in the domain of magnonics and topological spintronics.