Observation of Fermi arc surface states in a topological metal
Journal
Science
Journal Volume
347
Journal Issue
6219
Pages
294-298
Date Issued
2015
Author(s)
Xu, S. Y.
Liu, C.
Kushwaha, S. K.
Sankar, R.
Krizan, J. W.
Belopolski, I.
Neupane, M.
Bian, G.
Alidoust, N.
Chang, T. R.
Jeng, H. T.
Huang, C. Y.
Tsai, W. F.
Lin, H.
Shibayev, P. P.
Cava, R. J.
Hasan, M. Z.
Abstract
The topology of the electronic structure of a crystal is manifested in its surface states. Recently, a distinct topological state has been proposed in metals or semimetals whose spin-orbit band structure features three-dimensional Dirac quasiparticles. We used angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy to experimentally observe a pair of spin-polarized Fermi arc surface states on the surface of the Dirac semimetal Na3Bi at its native chemical potential. Our systematic results collectively identify a topological phase in a gapless material. The observed Fermi arc surface states open research frontiers in fundamental physics and possibly in spintronics.
Publisher
American Association for the Advancement of Science
Type
journal article