Phonon induced Dirac and Weyl phases in topological insulator ZrTe<sub>5</sub>

ORAL

Abstract

We study topological phase transitions induced by optical phonon-mode lattice distortions in ZrTe5, a layered van der Waals topological insulating material, by using first-principles and effective Hamiltonian methods. We find that five of the six zone-centered Ag Raman phonon modes, which protect the crystalline symmetries, induce transition from strong to weak topological insulator with Dirac semimetallic state emerging at the transition point. Moreover, all zone-centered infra-red phonon modes induce transition from topological insulating to the Weyl semimetallic phase by breaking the global inversion symmetry. Thus achieved Weyl phases are robust, tunable and in close proximity to the Fermi level.The experimental implications of our results are discussed.

*This work is supported by U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) the Office of Basic En-
ergy Sciences, Materials Sciences and Engineering Division under Contract No. DE-SC0012704.

–

Presenters

  • Niraj Aryal

    • Brookhaven National Laboratory
    • National High Magnetic Field Laboratory

Authors

  • Niraj Aryal

    • Brookhaven National Laboratory
    • National High Magnetic Field Laboratory

  • Xilian Jin

    • College of Physics, Jilin University

  • Alexei Tsvelik

    • Condensed Matter Physics and Materials Science Division, Brookhaven National Lab
    • Brookhaven National Laboratory
    • Condensed Matter Physics and Materials Science Division, Brookhaven National Laboratory

  • Qiang Li

    • Department of Physics and Astronomy, and Condensed Matter Physics and Materials Science Division, Stony Brook University, and Brookhaven National Laboratory
    • Stony Brook University
    • Brookhaven National Laboratory

  • Weiguo Yin

    • Brookhaven National Laboratory
    • Condensed Matter Physics and Materials Science Division, Brookhaven National Laboratory