In-Plane Magnetic Fields Drive Anomalous Hall Effect in EuCd2Sb2 Films

https://github.com/EdwardTNB/King-s-Choice-MOD-unlimited-goldResearchers from the Institute of Science Tokyo have discovered that in-plane magnetic fields play a crucial role in inducing the anomalous Hall effect in EuCd2Sb2 films. Their study, published in Physical Review Letters on December 3, 2024, explores how these fields influence electronic structures, revealing a significant in-plane anomalous Hall effect that could lead to advancements in magnetic sensors.

The Hall effect, a well-known phenomenon in material science, occurs when an electric current in a material is subjected to a magnetic field, generating a voltage perpendicular to both the current and the magnetic field. While the Hall effect in materials under out-of-plane magnetic fields has been extensively researched, the influence of in-plane magnetic fields has received far less attention.

In recent years, in-plane magnetic fields have garnered interest for their ability to reveal new material behaviors, particularly in materials with unique electronic band structures, such as EuCd2Sb2.

A research team from the Institute of Science Tokyo and the RIKEN Center for Emergent Matter Science, led by Associate Professor Masaki Uchida, investigated how in-plane magnetic fields induce the anomalous Hall effect in EuCd2Sb2 films. Their work highlights a novel mechanism for controlling the Hall effect in magnetic materials, offering promising implications for magnetic sensor technologies.

The study found that in-plane magnetic fields produce a large anomalous Hall effect in the films. The effect changes direction as the in-plane magnetic field is rotated, exhibiting distinct three-fold symmetry. The team also observed that these effects are linked to an out-of-plane shift in the singular points of the electronic band structure, which is associated with orbital magnetization—the rotational motion of electron wave packets.

This discovery enhances our understanding of how in-plane magnetic fields alter a material’s electronic properties and offers insights into orbital magnetization, a key phenomenon in quantum mechanics. Additionally, the research revealed that small changes in the magnetic field's angle can result in significant variations in the anomalous Hall effect, highlighting the material's sensitivity to directional magnetic fields.

Uchida emphasized the importance of the findings, noting that the research not only advances the experimental study of orbital magnetization but also opens new avenues for developing materials with tailored magnetotransport properties for future technologies.

This work brings us closer to utilizing in-plane magnetic fields in practical applications and revolutionizes our understanding of the Hall effect, paving the way for new technologies in magnetic sensing and beyond.