Magnetic Proximity Effect as a Pathway to Spintronic Applications of Topological Insulators

Spin-based electronics in topological insulators (TIs) is favored by the long spin coherence1,2 and consequently fault-tolerant information storage. Magnetically doped TIs are ferromagnetic up to 13 K,3 well below any practical operating condition. Here we demonstrate that the long range ferromagnetism at ambient temperature can be induced in Bi2-xMnxTe3 by the magnetic proximity effect through deposited Fe overlayer. This result opens a new path to interface-controlled ferromagnetism in TI-based spintronic devices.