Control of magnetism on the topological SnTe(001) surface by doping, strain, and gap opening

The spin–spin exchange interaction is an important observable that helps in understanding the magnetism of materials. Topological materials are of particular interest due to their strong spin–orbit coupling, which makes them promising for applications in valleytronics and spintronics . In this study, we have theoretically demonstrated the ability to control the switching of ferromagnetic (FM) and antiferromagnetic (AFM) couplings between two magnetic impurities on the (001) surface of the topological crystalline insulator SnTe. By considering experimental parameters such as doping, strain, and gap opening at surface Dirac cones, we provide a generic way to build the FM-AFM and clockwise–counterclockwise phase diagrams of SnTe(001), which are still missing in the literature, especially for the spintronics community.