No Arabic abstract
A nodal loop is formed by band crossing along a one-dimensional closed manifold, with each point on the loop a linear nodal point in the transverse dimensions and can be classified as type-I or type-II depending on the band dispersion. Here, we propose a class of nodal loops composed of both type-I and type-II points, which are hence termed as hybrid nodal loops. Based on firstprinciples calculations, we predict the realization of such loops in the existing electride material Ca2As. For a hybrid loop, the Fermi surface consists of coexisting electron and hole pockets that touch at isolated points for an extended range of Fermi energies, without the need for fine-tuning. This leads to unconventional magnetic responses, including the zero-field magnetic breakdown and the momentum space Klein tunneling observable in the magnetic quantum oscillations, as well as the peculiar anisotropy in the cyclotron resonance.
Topological semimetals (TSMs) in which conduction and valence bands cross at zero-dimensional (0D) Dirac nodal points (DNPs) or 1D Dirac nodal lines (DNLs), in 3D momentum space, have recently drawn much attention due to their exotic electronic properties. Here we generalize the TSM state further to a higher-symmetry and higher-dimensional pseudo Dirac nodal sphere (PDNS) state, with the band crossings forming a 2D closed sphere at the Fermi level. The PDNS state is characterized with a spherical backbone consisting of multiple crossing DNLs while band degeneracy in between the DNLs is approximately maintained by weak interactions. It exhibits some unique electronic properties and low-energy excitations, such as collective plasmons different from DNPs and DNLs. Based on crystalline symmetries, we theoretically demonstrate two possible types of PDNS states, and identify all the possible band crossings with pairs of 1D irreducible representations to form the PDNS states in 32 point groups. Importantly, we discover that strained MH3 (M= Y, Ho, Tb, Nd) and Si3N2 are materials candidates to realize these two types of PDNS states, respectively. As a high-symmetry-required state, the PDNS semimetal can be regarded as the parent phase for other topological gapped and gapless states.
The topological properties of fermions arise from their low-energy Dirac-like band dispersion and associated chiralities. Initially confined to points, extensions of the Dirac dispersion to lines and even loops have now been uncovered and semimetals hosting such features have been identified. However, experimental evidence for the enhanced correlation effects predicted to occur in these topological semimetals has been lacking. Here, we report a quantum oscillation study of the nodal loop semimetal ZrSiS in high magnetic fields that reveals significant enhancement in the effective mass of the quasiparticles residing near the nodal loop. Above a threshold field, magnetic breakdown occurs across gaps in the loop structure with orbits that enclose different windings around its vertices, each winding accompanied by an additional pi-Berry phase. The amplitudes of these breakdown orbits exhibit an anomalous temperature dependence. These findings demonstrate the emergence of novel, correlation-driven physics in ZrSiS associated with the Dirac-like quasiparticles.
Topological antiferromagnetic (AFM) spintronics is an emerging field of research, which exploits the Neel vector to control the topological electronic states and the associated spin-dependent transport properties. A recently discovered Neel spin-orbit torque has been proposed to electrically manipulate Dirac band crossings in antiferromagnets; however, a reliable AFM material to realize these properties in practice is missing. Here, we predict that room temperature AFM metal MnPd$_{2}$ allows the electrical control of the Dirac nodal line by the Neel spin-orbit torque. Based on first-principles density functional theory calculations, we show that reorientation of the Neel vector leads to switching between the symmetry-protected degenerate state and the gapped state associated with the dispersive Dirac nodal line at the Fermi energy. The calculated spin Hall conductivity strongly depends on the Neel vector orientation and can be used to experimentally detect the predicted effect using a proposed spin-orbit torque device. Our results indicate that AFM Dirac nodal line metal MnPd$_{2}$ represents a promising material for topological AFM spintronics.
Two-dimensional (2D) materials with nodal-loop band crossing have been attracting great research interest. However, it remains a challenge to find 2D nodal loops that are robust against spin-orbit coupling (SOC) and realized in magnetic states. Here, based on first-principles calculations and theoretical analysis, we predict that monolayer MnN is a 2D nodal-loop half metal with fully spin polarized nodal loops. We show that monolayer MnN has a ferromagnetic ground state with out-of-plane magnetization. Its band structure shows half metallicity with three low-energy bands belonging to the same spin channel. The crossing between these bands forms two concentric nodal loops centered around the $Gamma$ point near the Fermi level. Remarkably, the nodal loops and their spin polarization are robust under SOC, due to the protection of a mirror symmetry. We construct an effective model to characterize the fully polarized emergent nodal-loop fermions. We also find that a uniaxial strain can induce a loop transformation from a localized single loop circling around $Gamma$ to a pair of extended loops penetrating the Brillouin zone.
Topological nodal-line semimetals (NLSs) are unique materials, which harbor one-dimensional line nodes along with the so-called drumhead surface states arising from nearly dispersionless two dimensional surface bands. However, a direct observation of these drumhead surface states in the currently realized NLSs has remained elusive. Here, by using high-resolution angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES) along with parallel first principles calculations, we examine the topological characteristics of SrAs3 and CaAs3. SrAs3 is found to show the presence of a topological nodal-loop, while CaAs3 is found to lie near a topologically trivial phase. Our analysis reveals that the surface projections of the bulk nodal-points in SrAs3 are connected by drumhead surface states. Notably, the topological states in SrAs3 and CaAs3 are well separated from other irrelevant bands in the vicinity of the Fermi level. These compounds thus provide a hydrogen-like simple platform for developing an in-depth understanding of the quantum phase transitions of NLSs.