An intrinsic magnetic topological insulator MNBI2TE4 has been discovered with a large band gap, making it a promising material platform for fabricating ultra-low-energy electronics and observing exotic topological phenomena.

Hosting both magnetism and topology, ultra-thin (only several nanometers in thickness) MNBI2TE4 was found to have a large band-gap in a Quantum Anomalous Hall (QAH) insulating state, where the material is metallic (ie, electrically conducting) along its one-dimensional edges, while electrically insulating in its interior. The almost zero resistance along the 1D edges of a QAH insulator, make it promising for lossless transport applications and ultra-low energy devices.

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