Electrothermal manipulation of current-induced phase transitions in ferrimagnetic Mn$_3$Si$_2$Te$_6$

Jiaqi Fang; Jiawei Hu; Xintian Chen; Yaotian Liu; Zheng Yin; Zhe Ying; Yunhao Wang; Ziqiang Wang; Zhilin Li; Shiyu Zhu; Yang Xu; Sokrates T. Pantelides; Hong-Jun Gao

arXiv · 2502.11048

Electrothermal manipulation of current-induced phase transitions in ferrimagnetic Mn$_3$Si$_2$Te$_6$

Jiaqi Fang·Jiawei Hu·Xintian Chen·Yaotian Liu·Zheng Yin·Zhe Ying·Yunhao Wang·Ziqiang Wang·Zhilin Li·Shiyu Zhu·Yang Xu·Sokrates T. Pantelides·Hong-Jun Gao

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Abstract

Phase transitions driven by external stimuli are central to condensed matter physics, providing critical insights into symmetry breaking and emergent phenomena. Recently, ferrimagnetic (FiM) Mn$_3$Si$_2$Te$_6$ has attracted considerable attention for its magnetic-field-induced insulator-metal transitions (IMTs) and unconventional current-driven phase transitions, yet the role of applied currents in the magnetic phase remains poorly understood. Here, by combining local magnetization probes and time-resolved transport measurements, we uncover an electrothermal origin for the current-induced first-order-like phase transitions, characterized by abrupt voltage jumps and distinct magnetic domain evolution. Current-voltage (I-V) characteristics measured under triangular waveforms exhibit strong non-reciprocal and hysteretic behaviors, which are significantly suppressed at frequencies ~1000 Hz. Time-resolved studies using rectangular pulsed currents demonstrate that the resistance dynamics closely mirror the equilibrium resistance-temperature profile, directly implicating Joule heating as the driving mechanism. Furthermore, we reveal that the intrinsic I-V response adheres to Ohm's law, displaying linearity across various magnetic fields and temperatures. Our work advocates for a cautious approach in distinguishing between genuine current-induced nonequilibrium quantum states and thermal effects.

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Jiaqi Fang, Jiawei Hu, Xintian Chen, Yaotian Liu, Zheng Yin, Zhe Ying, Yunhao Wang, Ziqiang Wang, Zhilin Li, Shiyu Zhu, Yang Xu, Sokrates T. Pantelides, Hong-Jun Gao. 2025-02-16. Electrothermal manipulation of current-induced phase transitions in ferrimagnetic Mn$_3$Si$_2$Te$_6$. https://arxiv.org/abs/2502.11048

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