Hexagonal MnTe with Antiferromagnetic Spin Splitting and Hidden Rashba–Dresselhaus Interaction for Antiferromagnetic Spintronics

Hexagonal MnTe emerges as a critical component in designing magnetic quantum heterostructures, calling for a detailed study. After finding a suitable combination of exchange-correlation functional and corrections, our study within ab initio density functional theory uncovers an insulating state with a preferred antiferromagnetic order. We compute the exchange interaction strengths to estimate the antiferromagnetic ordering temperature via Monte Carlo calculations. Our calculations and symmetry analysis reveal a large spin splitting in the system due to the antiferromagnetic order without considering spin-orbit interaction, except in the k x - k y plane. Critically examining the band dispersion and spin textures obtained from our calculations and comparing them with an insightful symmetry analysis and analytical model, we confirm a combined Rashba-Dresselhaus interaction in the k x - k y plane, around the K point of the system. Finally, we find ferroelectricity in the system for a higher energy magnetic configuration. Our results and insights would help design heterostructures of MnTe for technological applications.