Anisotropic Anomalous Nernst Effect in Antiferromagnetic YbMnSb₂

This work characterizes thermoelectric transport properties of the antiferromagnetic topological semimetal YbMnSb₂, which exhibits large anomalous effects with simultaneously low magnetization and high mobility [1]. It is expected that magnetic effects in this material will be maximized when the applied magnetic field is oriented along the magnetic easy-axis, as this direction is associated with a non-zero net Berry curvature. Previous works have characterized a highly anisotropic Seebeck coefficient [1] and magneto-Seebeck and Nernst thermopowers with a magnetic field applied through the material’s layers [2]. However, no data has been published concerning the orientation dependence of magnetic thermoelectric transport. In this work, the anomalous Nernst and magneto-Seebeck effects are characterized in single-crystalline YbMnSb₂ as a function of temperature, magnetic field, and crystallographic orientation such that the relationship between the orientation of the net Berry curvature and fluxes/fields associated with thermomagnetic transport can be determined.

[1] Y. Pan et al. Adv. Mater 33, 2003168 (2021).

[2] S. Xu et al. Phys. Rev. B 107, 245138 (2023).