Xinghao Chang, Yuqing Mao, Jun Zhu, Yuxuan Liu, Ailei He, Xiuyun Zhang
The quantum anomalous Hall (QAH) effect characterized by quantized Hall conductance in the absence of external magnetic fields offers promising prospects for low-power quantum electronics. In this work, we identify a Mn4O6 monolayer as a stable two-dimensional intrinsic QAH material based on first-principles calculations and systematically investigate its magnetic and topological properties. The Mn4O6 monolayer exhibits a robust out-of-plane ferromagnetic ground state with a relatively high Curie temperature (TC) of 171 K. The Mn4O6 monolayer is a half-metal with the band crossing at the K point without spin-orbit coupling (SOC). Upon inclusion of SOC, the symmetry protection is lifted, leading to the opening of a band gap and driving the system into a QAH insulator. In addition, a three-band tight-binding model is constructed based on the first-principles results to further elucidate the topological origin of the Mn4O6 monolayer. Our work deepens the understanding of QAH and underscores its promise for next-generation electronic devices.