Magnetic Ground States and Structural Disorder Effects in Mn(Ge,Sb)2Te4 Explored by XMCD

We propose to investigate the magnetic properties of Mn(Ge,Sb)₂Te₄, a material of significant interest due to its potential to realize the Quantum Anomalous Hall Effect (QAHE) by combining non-trivial topological properties with tunable magnetic order. The system exhibits a complex magnetic ground state, with the ordering temperature correlating with Mn content. Using the HECTOR/BOREAS beamline at ALBA, we will combine X-ray Magnetic Circular Dichroism (XMCD) and X-ray Magnetic Linear Dichroism (XMLD) with existing SQUID and structural data. Our goal is to determine the nature of the magnetic ground state and explore the role of cationic intermixing in stabilizing ferromagnetic (FM) behavior, which is crucial for enabling QAHE. By comparing TEY and FY modes, we will study the interaction between magnetic moments and topological surface states, leveraging TEY’s surface sensitivity to gain insights into depth-resolved magnetic properties.