Single pair of Weyl nodes in the spin-canted structure of EuCd2As2

K. M. Taddei, L. Yin, L. D. Sanjeewa, Y. Li, J. Xing, C. Dela Cruz, D. Phelan, A. S. Sefat, D. S. Parker

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

17 Scopus citations

Abstract

Time reversal symmetry breaking Weyl semimetals are unique among Weyl materials in allowing the minimal number of Weyl points, thus offering the clearest signatures of the associated physics. Here we present neutron diffraction, density-functional theory, and transport measurement results which indicate that EuCd2As2, under ambient field, strain, and pressure, is such a material with a single pair of Weyl points. Our work reveals a magnetic structure (magnetic space group C2′/m′) with Eu moments pointing along the [210] direction in plane and canted ∼ 30∘ out of plane. Density functional theory calculations using this structure show that the observed canting drastically alters the relevant electronic bands, relative to the in-plane order, leading to a single set of well-defined Weyl points. Furthermore, we find the canting angle can tune the distance of the Weyl points above the Fermi level, with the smallest distance at low canting angles. Finally, transport measurements of the anomalous Hall effect and longitudinal magnetoresistance exhibit properties indicative of a chiral anomaly, thus supporting the neutron scattering and DFT results suggesting EuCd2As2 is close to the ideal situation of the Weyl hydrogen atom.

Original languageEnglish
Article numberL140401
JournalPhysical Review B
Volume105
Issue number14
DOIs
StatePublished - Apr 1 2022

Funding

The research is partly supported by the U.S. DOE, BES, Materials Science and Engineering Division. The part of the research conducted at ORNLs High Flux Isotope Reactor was sponsored by the Scientific User Facilities Division, Office of Basic Energy Sciences (BES), U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). This research used resources of the Compute and Data Environment for Science (CADES) at ORNL, which is supported by the Office of Science of the U.S. DOE under Contract No. DE-AC05-00OR22725. The magnetotransport measurements, which were performed in the Materials Science Division at Argonne National Laboratory, were supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, Basic Energy Sciences, Materials Science and Engineering Division.

FundersFunder number
CADES
Data Environment for Science
Scientific User Facilities Division
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of ScienceDE-AC05-00OR22725
Basic Energy Sciences
Division of Materials Sciences and Engineering

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