Quantum Anomalous Hall Effect in a Perovskite and Inverse-Perovskite Sandwich Structure

Abstract

Based on first-principles calculations, we propose a sandwich structure composed of a G-type anti-ferromagnetic (AFM) Mott insulator LaCrO$_3$ grown along the [001] direction with one atomic layer replaced by an inverse-perovskite material Sr$_3$PbO. We show that the system is in a topologically nontrivial phase characterized by simultaneous nonzero charge and spin Chern numbers, which can support a spin-polarized and dissipationless edge current in a finite system. Since these two materials are stable in bulk and match each other with only small lattice distortions, the composite material is expected easy to synthesize.