Origin of the butterfly magnetoresistance in ZrSiS

TL;DR

This study investigates the origin of butterfly magnetoresistance in ZrSiS, revealing near-perfect electron-hole compensation influenced by the Zeeman effect and confirming its topological nature through quantum oscillation analysis.

Contribution

It identifies electron-hole compensation as the cause of butterfly magnetoresistance and analyzes topological properties via Shubnikov-de Haas oscillations in ZrSiS.

Findings

Electron-hole compensation causes butterfly magnetoresistance.

Zeeman effect tunes the compensation.

Topological properties confirmed through Berry phase analysis.

Abstract

ZrSiS has been identified as a topological material made from non-toxic and earth-abundant elements. Together with its extremely large and uniquely angle-dependent magnetoresistance this makes it an interesting material for applications. We study the origin of the so-called butterfly magnetoresistance by performing magnetotransport measurements on four different devices made from exfoliated crystalline flakes. We identify near-perfect electron-hole compensation, tuned by the Zeeman effect, as the source of the butterfly magnetoresistance. Furthermore, the observed Shubnikov-de Haas oscillations are carefully analyzed using the Lifshitz-Kosevich equation to determine their Berry phase and thus their topological properties. Although the link between the butterfly magnetoresistance and the Berry phase remains uncertain, the topological nature of ZrSiS is confirmed.