arXiv subjects

M. H. Zou

Publications and source records attributed to M. H. Zou.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2025

Nonlinear transport fingerprints of tunable Fermi-arc connectivity in magnetic Weyl semimetal Co$_3$Sn$_2$S$_2$

Fermi arcs in Weyl semimetals provide a unique platform for surface-state engineering, yet di rectly tracking of their evolution under surface tuning remains experimentally challenging. Here we theoretically propose that nonreciprocal charge transport can serve as a direct probe of Fermi arc Lifshitz transitions (FALT). We show that different surface terminations in Co3Sn2S2 can produce f inite and highly tunable second-order nonreciprocal signals, which can be further modulated by adjusting the surface potential. Strikingly, we show that the second-order conductivity exhibits sign changes as the Fermi arc connectivity is tuned across FALT driven by gating or chemical potential variation. This behavior arises from the chiral nature of electron velocities on the Fermi arcs, and is highly sensitive to surface termination and symmetry breaking. Our findings establish nonreciprocal transport as an electrically measurable fingerprint of FALT and propose new strategies that could be directly applied in devices for in situ engineering and detecting transport properties in topological materials.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2025

Nonreciprocal ballistic transport in multi-layer Weyl semimetal films with surface engineering

Weyl semimetal (WSM) thin films exhibit distinct electronic properties compared to their bulk counterparts. In this study, we theoretically investigate the nonreciprocal ballistic transport phenomena arising in WSM thin films due to surface modifications. Our analysis demonstrates that the nonreciprocity is sub-band-resolved, where the surface states provide the dominant contribution to the nonreciprocity, whereas the bulk states introduce a negative correction. Calculations further reveal a quantum size effect: overall, the nonreciprocal signal decreases with increasing film thickness, but it undergoes discontinuities as the Fermi energy approaches the bottom of a sub-band. Moreover, we observe that the density of states (DOS) in such multi-layer systems exhibits a thickness-independent pattern, which can be effectively explained by a single-variable theory.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2023

Nonreciprocal Charge and Spin Transport Induced by Non-Hermitian Skin Effect in Mesoscopic Heterojunctions

The pursuit of the non-Hermitian skin effect (NHSE) in various physical systems is of great research interest. Compared with recent progress in non-electronic systems, the implementation of the NHSE in condensed matter physics remains elusive. Here, we show that the NHSE can be engineered in the mesoscopic heterojunctions (system plus reservoir) in which electrons in two channels of the system moving towards each other have asymmetric coupling to those of the reservoir. This makes electrons in the system moving forward and in the opposite direction have unequal lifetimes, and so gives rise to a point-gap spectral topology. Accordingly, the electron eigenstates exhibit NHSE under the open boundary condition, consistent with the description of the generalized Brillouin zone. Such a reservoir-engineered NHSE visibly manifests itself as the nonreciprocal charge current that can be probed by the standard transport measurements. Further, we generalize the scenario to the spin-resolved NHSE, which can be probed by the nonreciprocal spin transport. Our work opens a new research avenue for implementing and detecting the NHSE in electronic mesoscopic systems, which will lead to interesting device applications.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗