Topological Phase Transition in Single Crystals of (Cd1-xZnx)3As2

Sci Rep. 2017 Jun 9;7(1):3148. doi: 10.1038/s41598-017-03559-2.

Abstract

Single crystals of (Cd1-xZnx)3As2 were synthesized from high-temperature solutions and characterized in terms of their structural and electrical properties. Based on the measurements of resistivity and Hall signals, we revealed a chemical-doping-controlled transition from a three-dimensional Dirac semimetal to a semiconductor with a critical point xc ~ 0.38. We observed structural transitions from a body-center tetragonal phase to a primitive tetragonal phase then back to a body-center tetragonal phase in the solid solutions as well, which are irrelevant to the topological phase transition. This continuously tunable system controlled by chemical doping provides a platform for investigating the topological quantum phase transition of three-dimensional Dirac electrons.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't