Robust magnetoresistance in TaAs2 under pressure up to about 37 GPa

TL;DR

This study investigates the behavior of extremely large magnetoresistance in TaAs2 under high pressure, revealing structural stability and potential for applications in high-pressure environments.

Contribution

It provides the first comprehensive analysis of TaAs2's magnetoresistance and structural properties under pressures up to 37 GPa, highlighting its robustness and underlying electronic stability.

Findings

Magnetoresistance remains significant up to 36.6 GPa

Anisotropic compression and unusual As-As bonds form above 9.5 GPa

Electronic structure remains nearly stable under pressure

Abstract

The extremely large magnetoresistance (XMR) in nonmagnetic semimetals has inspired growing interest owing to both intriguing physics and potential applications. We report results of synchrotron X-ray diffraction (SXRD) and electrical transport measurements on TaAs2 under pressure up to ~ 37 GPa, which revealed an anisotropic compression of the unit cell, formation of unusual As-As bonds above 9.5 GPa, and enhancement of metallicity. Interestingly, the MR of TaAs2 under pressure changed gently, which at 1.7 GPa is 96.6% and at 36.6 GPa is still 36.7%. The almost robust MR under pressure could be related to the nearly stable electronic structure unveiled by the ab initio calculations. The discovery would expand the potential use of XMR even under high pressure.