The complex electronic properties of ZrTe5 have recently stimulated in-depth investigations that assigned this material to either a topological insulator or a 3D Dirac semimetal phase. Here we report a comprehensive experimental and theoretical study of both electronic and structural properties of ZrTe5, revealing that the bulk material is a strong topological insulator (STI). By means of angle-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy, we identify at the top of the valence band both a surface and a bulk state. The dispersion of these bands is well captured by ab initio calculations for the STI case, for the specific interlayer distance measured in our x-ray diffraction study. Furthermore, these findings are supported by scanning tunneling spectroscopy revealing the metallic character of the sample surface, thus confirming the strong topological nature of ZrTe5.
Titolo: | Evidence for a Strong Topological Insulator Phase in ZrTe5 |
Autori: | |
Data di pubblicazione: | 2016 |
Rivista: | |
Abstract: | The complex electronic properties of ZrTe5 have recently stimulated in-depth investigations that assigned this material to either a topological insulator or a 3D Dirac semimetal phase. Here we report a comprehensive experimental and theoretical study of both electronic and structural properties of ZrTe5, revealing that the bulk material is a strong topological insulator (STI). By means of angle-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy, we identify at the top of the valence band both a surface and a bulk state. The dispersion of these bands is well captured by ab initio calculations for the STI case, for the specific interlayer distance measured in our x-ray diffraction study. Furthermore, these findings are supported by scanning tunneling spectroscopy revealing the metallic character of the sample surface, thus confirming the strong topological nature of ZrTe5. |
Handle: | http://hdl.handle.net/11368/2888266 |
Digital Object Identifier (DOI): | http://dx.doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.117.237601 |
URL: | http://journals.aps.org/prl/abstract/10.1103/PhysRevLett.117.237601 |
Appare nelle tipologie: | 1.1 Articolo in Rivista |
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