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Title: Optical spectroscopy of the Weyl semimetal TaAs

Abstract

Here, we present a systematic study of both the temperature and frequency dependence of the optical response in TaAs, a material that has recently been realized to host the Weyl semimetal state. Our study reveals that the optical conductivity of TaAs features a narrow Drude response alongside a conspicuous linear dependence on frequency. The weight of the Drude peak decreases upon cooling, following a T2 temperature dependence, in good agreement with theoretical predictions. Two linear components with distinct slopes dominate the low-temperature optical conductivity. A comparison between our experimental results and theoretical calculations suggests that the linear conductivity below ~230 cm–1 arises purely from interband transitions near the Weyl points, providing rich information about the Weyl semimetal state in TaAs.

Authors:
 [1];  [2];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [3];  [2];  [2];  [2];  [3]
  1. Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing (China)
  2. Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
  3. Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing (China); Collaborative Innovation Center of Quantum Matter, Beijing (China)
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE
OSTI Identifier:
1258444
Alternate Identifier(s):
OSTI ID: 1243157
Report Number(s):
LA-UR-15-27435
Journal ID: ISSN 2469-9950; PRBMDO
Grant/Contract Number:  
2015CB921303; 2015CB921102; 2012CB921302; 2012CB821403; 91121004; 91421304; 11374345; AC52-06NA25396
Resource Type:
Accepted Manuscript
Journal Name:
Physical Review B
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 93; Journal Issue: 12; Journal ID: ISSN 2469-9950
Publisher:
American Physical Society (APS)
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE; semimetals; optical properties

Citation Formats

Xu, B., Dai, Y. M., Zhao, L. X., Wang, K., Yang, R., Zhang, W., Liu, J. Y., Xiao, H., Chen, G. F., Taylor, A. J., Yarotski, D. A., Prasankumar, R. P., and Qiu, X. G. Optical spectroscopy of the Weyl semimetal TaAs. United States: N. p., 2016. Web. doi:10.1103/PhysRevB.93.121110.
Xu, B., Dai, Y. M., Zhao, L. X., Wang, K., Yang, R., Zhang, W., Liu, J. Y., Xiao, H., Chen, G. F., Taylor, A. J., Yarotski, D. A., Prasankumar, R. P., & Qiu, X. G. Optical spectroscopy of the Weyl semimetal TaAs. United States. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.93.121110
Xu, B., Dai, Y. M., Zhao, L. X., Wang, K., Yang, R., Zhang, W., Liu, J. Y., Xiao, H., Chen, G. F., Taylor, A. J., Yarotski, D. A., Prasankumar, R. P., and Qiu, X. G. Thu . "Optical spectroscopy of the Weyl semimetal TaAs". United States. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.93.121110. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1258444.
@article{osti_1258444,
title = {Optical spectroscopy of the Weyl semimetal TaAs},
author = {Xu, B. and Dai, Y. M. and Zhao, L. X. and Wang, K. and Yang, R. and Zhang, W. and Liu, J. Y. and Xiao, H. and Chen, G. F. and Taylor, A. J. and Yarotski, D. A. and Prasankumar, R. P. and Qiu, X. G.},
abstractNote = {Here, we present a systematic study of both the temperature and frequency dependence of the optical response in TaAs, a material that has recently been realized to host the Weyl semimetal state. Our study reveals that the optical conductivity of TaAs features a narrow Drude response alongside a conspicuous linear dependence on frequency. The weight of the Drude peak decreases upon cooling, following a T2 temperature dependence, in good agreement with theoretical predictions. Two linear components with distinct slopes dominate the low-temperature optical conductivity. A comparison between our experimental results and theoretical calculations suggests that the linear conductivity below ~230 cm–1 arises purely from interband transitions near the Weyl points, providing rich information about the Weyl semimetal state in TaAs.},
doi = {10.1103/PhysRevB.93.121110},
journal = {Physical Review B},
number = 12,
volume = 93,
place = {United States},
year = {Thu Mar 24 00:00:00 EDT 2016},
month = {Thu Mar 24 00:00:00 EDT 2016}
}

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Cited by: 136 works
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