Magnetotransport evidence of a potential low-lying Dirac node in NbAl$_3$

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Hauptverfasser: Tsui, Ying Kit, Kuo, Chia-Nung, Shimizu, Makoto, Hu, Yajian, Yanase, Youichi, Lue, Chin Shan, Zhang, Wei, Goh, Swee K.
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Veröffentlicht: 2025
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author Tsui, Ying Kit
Kuo, Chia-Nung
Shimizu, Makoto
Hu, Yajian
Yanase, Youichi
Lue, Chin Shan
Zhang, Wei
Goh, Swee K.
author_facet Tsui, Ying Kit
Kuo, Chia-Nung
Shimizu, Makoto
Hu, Yajian
Yanase, Youichi
Lue, Chin Shan
Zhang, Wei
Goh, Swee K.
contents NbAl$_3$ is a novel semimetal with a type-II Dirac node ~230 meV above the Fermi energy. We have performed both out-of-plane ($B\parallel c$) and in-plane magnetotransport measurements ($B\perp c$) on single-crystalline NbAl$_3$. In our out-of-plane data, we observe an interesting linear component in the transverse magnetoresistance, and the mobility spectrum analysis of the out-of-plane data reveals an emergence of high-mobility electrons at low temperatures. Near $B\parallel c$, Shubnikov-de Haas oscillations are discerned in the magnetoresistance. The oscillation frequencies agree with the density functional theory calculation, the same theory that shows that the Dirac node is far above the Fermi energy. Therefore, the out-of-plane results cannot be attributed to the type-II Dirac node but suggest NbAl$_3$ has additional Dirac or Weyl nodes close to the Fermi energy. To support this, we examine the in-plane data obtained with the magnetic field perpendicular to the tilting direction of the type-II Dirac cone. Such field direction excludes the possibility of chiral anomaly from the predicted type-II Dirac node. Remarkably, we observe the planar Hall effect, anisotropic magnetoresistance, and negative longitudinal magnetoresistance. These in-plane results are a strong indication of chiral anomaly unrelated to the previously established type-II Dirac node, pointing to the presence of additional Dirac or Weyl nodes near the Fermi energy. Our new density functional theory calculation reveals a type-I Dirac node ~50 meV below the Fermi energy that has previously been overlooked. We argue that the exotic transport phenomena observed in NbAl$_3$ can be attributed to the newly identified type-I Dirac node.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2503_10130
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Magnetotransport evidence of a potential low-lying Dirac node in NbAl$_3$
Tsui, Ying Kit
Kuo, Chia-Nung
Shimizu, Makoto
Hu, Yajian
Yanase, Youichi
Lue, Chin Shan
Zhang, Wei
Goh, Swee K.
Materials Science
NbAl$_3$ is a novel semimetal with a type-II Dirac node ~230 meV above the Fermi energy. We have performed both out-of-plane ($B\parallel c$) and in-plane magnetotransport measurements ($B\perp c$) on single-crystalline NbAl$_3$. In our out-of-plane data, we observe an interesting linear component in the transverse magnetoresistance, and the mobility spectrum analysis of the out-of-plane data reveals an emergence of high-mobility electrons at low temperatures. Near $B\parallel c$, Shubnikov-de Haas oscillations are discerned in the magnetoresistance. The oscillation frequencies agree with the density functional theory calculation, the same theory that shows that the Dirac node is far above the Fermi energy. Therefore, the out-of-plane results cannot be attributed to the type-II Dirac node but suggest NbAl$_3$ has additional Dirac or Weyl nodes close to the Fermi energy. To support this, we examine the in-plane data obtained with the magnetic field perpendicular to the tilting direction of the type-II Dirac cone. Such field direction excludes the possibility of chiral anomaly from the predicted type-II Dirac node. Remarkably, we observe the planar Hall effect, anisotropic magnetoresistance, and negative longitudinal magnetoresistance. These in-plane results are a strong indication of chiral anomaly unrelated to the previously established type-II Dirac node, pointing to the presence of additional Dirac or Weyl nodes near the Fermi energy. Our new density functional theory calculation reveals a type-I Dirac node ~50 meV below the Fermi energy that has previously been overlooked. We argue that the exotic transport phenomena observed in NbAl$_3$ can be attributed to the newly identified type-I Dirac node.
title Magnetotransport evidence of a potential low-lying Dirac node in NbAl$_3$
topic Materials Science
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2503.10130