Anomalous Hall and Nernst effects in magnetic topological semimetal: Mn₃ZnC

In recent years, antiperovskite materials are recognized for potentially hosting a variety of topological surface states. In carbide Mn-based antiperovskite family Mn₃XC (X = Zn, Sn and Ga), the band structure studies on Mn₃ZnC suggested it to have drum-head surface states with an isolated Weyl nodes in momentum space [1]. Besides, Mn₃ZnC shows paramagnetic (PM) to ferromagnetic (FM) transition at T_c ~ 380 K, followed by a ferrimagnetic (FIM) transition at T_N ~ 233 K [1]. Similarly, Mn₃GaC undergoes from PM to FM transition at T_c ~ 242 K and a antiferromagnetic (AFM) transition at T_N ~ 178 K [2]. Another antiperovskite Mn₃SnC shows paramagnetic (PM) to concurrent AFM/FM transition at T ~ 285 K [3]. In the context of topology and magnetism, these compounds are expected to show transport properties which would be quite useful in understanding the role of magnetic order in topological properties. Here, we present the anomalous Hall effect (AHE) and anomalous Nernst effect (ANE) in Mn₃ZnC. The value of anomalous Hall conductivity is found to be ~ 175 W^-1cm^-1 with intrinsic contribution of ~ 57 W^-1cm^-1. The scaling analysis of the anomalous Hall resistivity suggests that both intrinsic Berry curvature and extrinsic scattering mechanisms contribute to the AHE in the FIM state; and in the FM state, AHE is governed by purely intrinsic Berry curvature mechanism. Further, in the temperature range of T = 2 - 100 K, the electrical and thermal transport properties indicate a significant contribution of electron-magnon scattering. The ANE is also originated due to both intrinsic Berry curvature and extrinsic mechanism and the value of anomalous Nernst conductivity is found to be ~ 0.31 A/mK [4].

References

[1] S.M.L. Teicher et al., Weyl nodes and magnetostructural instability in perovskite Mn₃ZnC, 2018, 7, 121104.

[2] E.T. Dias et al., Effect of carbon content on magnetostructural properties of Mn₃GaC, 2014, 363, 140.

[3] Sunil Gangwar et al., Magneto-transport and thermoelectric studies of antiperovskite semimetal: Mn₃SnC, 2024, 36, 375603.

[4] Sunil Gangwar et al., Berry curvature induced anomalous Hall and Nernst effects in magnetic nodal line semimetal: Mn₃ZnC, Phys. Rev. B 111, 195106 (2025)