Weyl-like points from band inversions of spin-polarised surface states in NbGeSb



Markovic, I, Hooley, CA, Clark, OJ, Mazzola, F, Watson, MD, Riley, JM, Volckaert, K, Underwood, K, Dyer, MS ORCID: 0000-0002-4923-3003, Murgatroyd, PAE
et al (show 9 more authors) (2019) Weyl-like points from band inversions of spin-polarised surface states in NbGeSb. Nature Communications, 10 (1). 5485-.

Access the full-text of this item by clicking on the Open Access link.
[img] Text
1911.08631v1.pdf - Submitted version

Download (6MB) | Preview

Abstract

Band inversions are key to stabilising a variety of novel electronic states in solids, from topological surface states to the formation of symmetry-protected three-dimensional Dirac and Weyl points and nodal-line semimetals. Here, we create a band inversion not of bulk states, but rather between manifolds of surface states. We realise this by aliovalent substitution of Nb for Zr and Sb for S in the ZrSiS family of nonsymmorphic semimetals. Using angle-resolved photoemission and density-functional theory, we show how two pairs of surface states, known from ZrSiS, are driven to intersect each other near the Fermi level in NbGeSb, and to develop pronounced spin splittings. We demonstrate how mirror symmetry leads to protected crossing points in the resulting spin-orbital entangled surface band structure, thereby stabilising surface state analogues of three-dimensional Weyl points. More generally, our observations suggest new opportunities for engineering topologically and symmetry-protected states via band inversions of surface states.

Item Type: Article
Additional Information: In press at Nature Communications. This is the originally submitted manuscript prior to changes during the review process. Contains 20+6 pages, including Supplementary Information
Uncontrolled Keywords: Electronic properties and materials, Surfaces, interfaces and thin films, Topological matter
Depositing User: Symplectic Admin
Date Deposited: 02 Dec 2019 08:29
Last Modified: 19 Jan 2023 00:18
DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-13464-z
Open Access URL: http://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-019-13464-z
Related URLs:
URI: https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/id/eprint/3064182