Unveiling the phases of bulk ZrTe5 through magnetotransport phenomena
Journal
Nanotechnology
Journal Volume
36
Journal Issue
9
Start Page
095204
ISSN
0957-4484
1361-6528
Date Issued
2024-12-23
Author(s)
Shih, Pi-Ju
Yang, Cheng-Hsueh
Liao, Pin-Chi
Lin, Wei-Chen
Chen, Fa-Hua
Chen, Jeng-Chung
Cao, Limin
Chuang, Chiashain
Abstract
We present a straightforward method which may greatly simplify and lower the threshold for determining the phase of the relatively enigmatic quantum material—ZrTe5. In this study, without directly probing the band structure, we identify the topological phase of the three-dimensional (3D) bulk ZrTe5 crystal solely through low-temperature electrical and magnetotransport measurements. A two-dimensional (2D) weak antilocalization (WAL) effect was observed in our bulk ZrTe5 crystal, along with clear Shubnikov-de Haas oscillations. The large prefactor α derived from WAL analyses indicates the presence of multiple conducting channels in the bulk ZrTe5 crystal, where each channel is associated with individual 2D ZrTe5 layers. It is the large α value provides insights into the topological Dirac semimetal phase inherent to our ZrTe5 crystal. Additionally, we analyze the pronounced linear magnetoresistance and saturation behavior under a perpendicular magnetic field. Our results suggest that bulk ZrTe5 crystals, which exhibit unique layered transport features, serve as a promising platform for further research in quantum phases and transitions in 3D quantum systems.
Subjects
Dirac semimetal
low-temperature transport
magnetotransport
phenomena
topological insulator
ZrTe5
Publisher
IOP Publishing
Type
journal article