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arXiv · 2011.03329

Gigantic magnetochiral anisotropy in the topological semimetal ZrTe5

Yongjian Wang·Henry F. Legg·Thomas Boemerich·Jinhong Park·Sebastian Biesenkamp·A. A. Taskin·Markus Braden·Achim Rosch·Yoichi Ando
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Abstract

Topological materials with broken inversion symmetry can give rise to nonreciprocal responses, such as the current rectification controlled by magnetic fields via magnetochiral anisotropy. Bulk nonreciprocal responses usually stem from relativistic corrections and are always very small. Here we report our discovery that ZrTe5 crystals in proximity to a topological quantum phase transition present gigantic magnetochiral anisotropy, which is the largest ever observed to date. We argue that a very low carrier density, inhomogeneities, and a torus-shaped Fermi surface induced by breaking of inversion symmetry in a Dirac material are central to explain this extraordinary property.

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Yongjian Wang, Henry F. Legg, Thomas Boemerich, Jinhong Park, Sebastian Biesenkamp, A. A. Taskin, Markus Braden, Achim Rosch, Yoichi Ando. 2020-11-06. Gigantic magnetochiral anisotropy in the topological semimetal ZrTe5. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevlett.128.176602

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