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Register a new userQuantum oscillations and the Fermi-surface topology of the Weyl semimetal NbP
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The Weyl semimetal NbP was found to exhibit topological Fermi arcs and exotic magneto-transport properties. Here, we report on magnetic quantum-oscillation measurements on NbP and construct the 3D Fermi surface with the help of band-structure calculations. We reveal a pair of spin-orbit-split electron pockets at the Fermi energy and a similar pair of hole pockets, all of which are strongly anisotropic. The Fermi surface well explains the linear magnetoresistance observed in high magnetic fields by the quantum-limit scenario. The Weyl points that are located in the $k_z approx pi/c$ plane are found to exist 5 meV above the Fermi energy. Therefore, we predict that the chiral anomaly effect can be realized in NbP by electron doping to drive the Fermi energy to the Weyl points.
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We report on the pressure evolution of the Fermi surface topology of the Weyl semimetal NbP, probed by Shubnikov-de Haas oscillations in the magnetoresistance combined with ab-initio calculations of the band-structure. Although we observe a drastic effect on the amplitudes of the quantum oscillations, the frequencies only exhibit a weak pressure dependence up to 2.8 GPa. The pressure-induce variations in the oscillation frequencies are consistent with our band-structure calculations. Furthermore, we can relate the changes in the amplitudes to small modifications in the shape of the Fermi surface. Our findings evidenced the stability of the electronic band structure of NbP and demonstrate the power of combining quantum-oscillation studies and band-structure calculations to investigate pressure effects on the Fermi-surface topology in Weyl semimetals.
The Weyl semimetal NbP exhibits an extremely large magnetoresistance (MR) and an ultra-high mobility. The large MR originates from a combination of the nearly perfect compensation between electron- and hole-type charge carriers and the high mobility, which is relevant to the topological band structure. In this work we report on temperature- and field-dependent thermopower and thermal conductivity experiments on NbP. Additionally, we carried out complementary heat capacity, magnetization, and electrical resistivity measurements. We found a giant adiabatic magnetothermopower with a maximum of 800 $mu$V/K at 50 K in a field of 9 T. Such large effects have been observed rarely in bulk materials. We suggest that the origin of this effect might be related to the high charge-carrier mobility. We further observe pronounced quantum oscillations in both thermal conductivity and thermopower. The obtained frequencies compare well with our heat capacity and magnetization data.
As one of Weyl semimetals discovered recently, NbP exhibits two groups of Weyl points with one group lying inside the $k_z=0$ plane and the other group staying away from this plane. All Weyl points have been assumed to be type-I, for which the Fermi surface shrinks into a point as the Fermi energy crosses the Weyl point. In this work, we have revealed that the second group of Weyl points are actually type-II, which are found to be touching points between the electron and hole pockets in the Fermi surface. Corresponding Weyl cones are strongly tilted along a line approximately $17^circ$ off the $k_z$ axis in the $k_x - k_z$ (or $k_y - k_z$) plane, violating the Lorentz symmetry but still giving rise to Fermi arcs on the surface. Therefore, NbP exhibits both type-I ($k_z=0$ plane) and type-II ($k_z eq 0$ plane) Weyl points.
We report the occurrence of reentrant metallic behavior in the Weyl semimetal NbP. When the applied magnetic field $H$ is above a critical value $H_c$, a reentrance appears as a peak in the temperature dependent resistivity $rho_{xx}(T)$ at $T$ = $T_p$, similar to that observed in graphite where it was attributed to local superconductivity. The $T_p(H)$ relationship follows a power-law dependence $T_psim(H-H_c)^{1/v}$ where $v$ can be derived from the temperature dependence of the zero-field resistivity $rho_0(T) sim T^v$. From concurrent measurements of the transverse $rho_{xx}(T)$ and Hall $rho_{xy}(T)$ magnetoresistivities, we reveal a clear correlation between the rapidly increasing $rho_{xy}(T)$ and the occurrence of a peak in the $rho_{xx}(T)$ curve. Quantitative analysis indicates that the reentrant metallic behavior arises from the competition of the magneto conductivity $sigma_{xx}(T)$ with an additional component $Deltasigma_{xx}(T)=kappa_Hsigma_{xx}(T)$ where $kappa_H=[rho_{xy}(T)/rho_{xx}(T)]^2$ is the Hall factor. We find that the Hall factor ($kappa_H approx 0.4$) at peak temperature $T_p$ is nearly field-independent, leading to the observed $T_p(H)$ relationship. Furthermore, the reentrant metallic behavior in $rho_{xx}(T)$ also is reflected in the behavior of $rho_{xx}(H)$ that ranges from non-saturating at $T>70$ K to saturation at liquid helium temperatures. The latter can be explained with the magnetic field dependence of the Hall factor $kappa_H(H)$. Our studies demonstrate that a semiclassical theory can account for the anomalies in the magnetotransport phenomena of NbP without invoking an exotic mechanism.
Nodal semimetals are a unique platform to explore topological signatures of the unusual band structure that can manifest by accumulating a nontrivial phase in quantum oscillations. Here we report a study of the de Haasvan Alphen oscillations of the candidate topological nodal line semimetal CaAgAs using torque measurements in magnetic fields up to 45 T. Our results are compared with calculations for a toroidal Fermi surface originating from the nodal ring. We find evidence of a nontrivial Berry phase shift only in one of the oscillatory frequencies. We interpret this as a Berry phase arising from the semi-classical electronic Landau orbit which links with the nodal ring when the magnetic field lies in the mirror (ab) plane. Furthermore, additional Berry phase accumulates while rotating the magnetic field for the second orbit in the same orientation which does not link with the nodal ring. These effects are expected in CaAgAs due to the lack of inversion symmetry. Our study experimentally demonstrates that CaAgAs is an ideal platform for exploring the physics of nodal line semimetals and our approach can be extended to other materials in which trivial and nontrivial oscillations are present.
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