Nodal-Line Semimetals with Non-Quantized Berry Phase
Nodal-line semimetals (NLSMs) are topological materials characterized by one-dimensional band crossings in momentum space, which typically carry a Berry phase quantized to integer multiples of $π$. Here, we extend the conventional paradigm to a class of NLSMs in which the Berry phase can take arbitrary fractional or even irrational multiples of $π$. This non-quantized Berry phase leads to a splitting of Landau levels when a magnetic field is applied parallel to the nodal ring, an effect that can be detected via Shubnikov-de Haas oscillations in the magnetoconductivity. Despite the absence of a quantized topological invariant, drumhead-like surface states with weak dispersion persist at open boundaries. Notably, two identical surface states localize on the same boundary, in contrast to conventional NLSMs, where they reside on opposite boundaries. A systematic symmetry analysis shows that such NLSMs can be realized in a broad range of magnetic space groups. Our work opens a new avenue for exploring NLSMs beyond the conventional framework of a quantized Berry phase.