Direct electrical probing of anomalous Nernst conductivity

Abstract

Despite the usefulness of the anomalous Nernst conductivity (α A xy ) for studying electronic band structures and exploring magnetic materials with large transverse thermopower, there has not been a straightforward way to obtain α A xy in the experiment. Here, we propose a simple and versatile method enabling direct electrical probing of α A xy , which is realized by creating a closed circuit consisting of a target magnetic material and a non-magnetic conductor. This method was experimentally demonstrated on a thin film of magnetic Weyl semimetal Co2MnGa, where the closed circuit was formed simply by connecting both ends of the Co2MnGa film with a Au wire. A good approximation of α A xy was obtained, validating the proposed method and exhibiting its potential for aiding the further development of topological materials science and transverse thermoelectrics.