Electron-hole compensation effect between topologically trivial electrons and nontrivial holes in NbAs


Abstract in English

Via angular Shubnikov-de Hass (SdH) quantum oscillations measurements, we determine the Fermi surface topology of NbAs, a Weyl semimetal candidate. The SdH oscillations consist of two frequencies, corresponding to two Fermi surface extrema: 20.8 T ($alpha$-pocket) and 15.6 T ($beta$-pocket). The analysis, including a Landau fan plot, shows that the $beta$-pocket has a Berry phase of $pi$ and a small effective mass $sim$0.033 $m_0$, indicative of a nontrivial topology in momentum space; whereas the $alpha$-pocket has a trivial Berry phase of 0 and a heavier effective mass $sim$0.066 $m_0$. From the effective mass and the $beta$-pocket frequency we determine that the Weyl node is 110.5 meV from the chemical potential. A novel electron-hole compensation effect is discussed in this system, and its impact on magneto-transport properties is addressed. The difference between NbAs and other monopnictide Weyl semimetals is also discussed.

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