Non-stoichiometry and Defects in the Weyl Semimetals TaAs, TaP, NbAs, and NbP
ORAL
Abstract
We report on a structural study of the Weyl semimetals TaAs, TaP, NbAs, and NbP, utilizing diffraction techniques (single crystal x-ray diffraction and energy dispersive spectroscopy) and imaging techniques (transmission electron microscopy). We observe defects of various degrees, leading to non-stoichiometric single crystals of all four semimetals. While TaP displays a very large pnictide deficiency with composition TaP$_{0.83(3)}$ and stacking faults accompanied by anti-site disorder and site vacancies, TaAs displays transition metal deficiency with composition Ta$_{0.92(2)}$As and a high density of stacking faults. NbP also displays pnictide deficiency, yielding composition NbP$_{0.95(2)}$, and lastly, NbAs display very little deviation from a 1:1 composition, NbAs$_{1.00(3)}$, and is therefore recommended to serve as the model compound for these semimetals.
*DOE-BES \#DE-SC0008832 (TB \& TS), NSF DMR-1157490 (NHMFL)
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