Theory of In-Plane Orbital Magnetization with Layer Hybridization

Abstract

The modern theory of orbital magnetization successfully describes the response of Bloch electrons to magnetic fields in fully periodic crystals, but it does not directly address the distinct regime of an in-plane field in multilayer systems with layer hybridization. Coherent interlayer tunneling allows electrons to form circulating current loops, producing an in-plane orbital response that is absent in a strictly two-dimensional limit and qualitatively different from the conventional three-dimensional one. Here we develop a theory of in-plane orbital magnetization for this {\it transdimensional} regime, where the layer thickness is comparable to the vertical mean free path. Starting from the current-loop picture, we construct the in-plane orbital angular momentum operator and derive exact expressions for the orbital magnetic moment and the in-plane orbital magnetic susceptibility. As an application, we predict a gate-tunable in-plane orbital magnetoelectric effect in layered materials. Our framework establishes a general foundation for in-plane orbital responses and suggests new opportunities for orbitronics in layer-hybridized quantum materials.