Engineering and probing topological properties of Dirac semimetal films by asymmetric charge transfer

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates how asymmetric charge transfer in Dirac semimetal films can be used to identify Dirac-node projections and engineer topological Fermi-arc states, providing insights into their surface-bulk connectivity.

Contribution

It introduces a method to probe and control topological properties of DSM films through asymmetric charge transfer and first-principles simulations.

Findings

Dirac-node projections are identifiable despite a band gap in DSM films.

Charge transfer affects spin textures and Fermi-arc separation.

Projections are insensitive to charge transfer amount or film thickness except in very thin films.

Abstract

Dirac semimetals (DSMs) have topologically robust three-dimensional Dirac (doubled Weyl) nodes with Fermi-arc states. In heterostructures involving DSMs, charge transfer occurs at the interfaces, which can be used to probe and control their bulk and surface topological properties through surface-bulk connectivity. Here we demonstrate that despite a band gap in DSM films, asymmetric charge transfer at the surface enables one to accurately identify locations of the Dirac-node projections from gapless band crossings and to examine and engineer properties of the topological Fermi-arc surface states connecting the projections, by simulating adatom-adsorbed DSM films using a first-principles method with an effective model. The positions of the Dirac-node projections are insensitive to charge transfer amount or slab thickness except for extremely thin films. By varying the amount of charge transfer, unique spin textures near the projections and a separation between the Fermi-arc states change, which can be observed by gating without adatoms.