Magnetic and electronic properties of a topological nodal line semimetal candidate: HoSbTe

TL;DR

This study combines experimental and theoretical approaches to characterize HoSbTe as a magnetic topological nodal line semimetal, revealing its magnetic, electronic, and topological properties and potential for exploring magnetic-topological interactions.

Contribution

It provides the first detailed investigation of HoSbTe's magnetic and topological properties, demonstrating its status as a candidate topological nodal line semimetal with magnetic order.

Findings

HoSbTe exhibits antiferromagnetic order below 4 K.

Electrical resistivity shows bad-metal behavior and a transition at 8 K.

Band structure calculations suggest topological nodal line semimetal or weak topological insulator nature.

Abstract

We report the experimental and theoretical studies of a magnetic topological nodal line semimetal candidate HoSbTe. Single crystals of HoSbTe are grown from Sb flux, crystallizing in a tetragonal layered structure (space group: P4/nmm, no.129), in which the Ho-Te bilayer is separated by the square-net Sb layer. The magnetization and specific heat present distinct anomalies at 4 K related to an antiferromagnetic (AFM) phase transition. Meanwhile, with applying magnetic field perpendicular and parallel to the crystallographic c axis, an obvious magnetic anisotropy is observed. Electrical resistivity undergoes a bad-metal-like state below 200 K and reveals a plateau at about 8 K followed by a drop due to the AFM transition. In addition, with the first-principle calculations of band structure, we find that HoSbTe is a topological nodal line semimetal or a weak topological insulator with or without taking the spin-orbit coupling into account, providing a platform to investigate the interplay between magnetic and topological fermionic properties.