Experimental realization of a three-dimensional dirac semimetal

Sergey Borisenko, Quinn Gibson, Danil Evtushinsky, Volodymyr Zabolotnyy, Bernd Büchner, Robert J. Cava

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

1002 Scopus citations

Abstract

We report the direct observation of the three-dimensional (3D) Dirac semimetal phase in cadmium arsenide (Cd3As2) by means of angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy. We identify two momentum regions where electronic states that strongly disperse in all directions form narrow conelike structures, and thus prove the existence of the long sought 3D Dirac points. This electronic structure naturally explains why Cd3As2 has one of the highest known bulk electron mobilities. This realization of a 3D Dirac semimetal in Cd3As2 not only opens a direct path to a wide spectrum of applications, but also offers a robust platform for engineering topologically nontrivial phases including Weyl semimetals and quantum spin Hall systems.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article number027603
JournalPhysical review letters
Volume113
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - Jul 8 2014

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • General Physics and Astronomy

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