Identifying the fingerprints of topological states by tuning magnetoresistance in a semimetal: the case of topological half-Heusler Pt1-xAuxLuSb

TL;DR

This study demonstrates how tuning the coupling between topological surface states and bulk carriers in a semimetal can control magnetoresistance behavior, revealing the role of topological states in quantum Hall phenomena and guiding future material design.

Contribution

We show that controlling surface-bulk coupling in topological semimetals induces distinct magnetotransport behaviors, including quantum Hall phases, advancing understanding of topological surface states in complex materials.

Findings

Tuning coupling leads to distinct Hall resistance plateaus.

Smearing Landau levels results in linear magnetoresistance.

Surface-bulk interaction influences quantum Hall behavior.

Abstract

Topological materials often exhibit remarkably linear, non-saturating magnetoresistance (LMR), which is both of scientific and technological importance. However, the role of topologically non-trivial states in the emergence of such a behaviour has eluded clear demonstration in experiments. Here, by reducing the coupling between the topological surface states (TSS) and the bulk carriers we controllably tune the LMR behavior in Pt1-xAuxLuSb into distinct plateaus in Hall resistance, which we show arise from a quantum Hall phase. This allowed us to reveal how smearing of the Landau levels, which otherwise give rise to a quantum Hall phase, results in an LMR behavior due to strong interaction between the TSS with a positive g-factor and the bulk carriers. We establish that controlling the coupling strength between the surface and the bulk carriers in topological materials can bring about dramatic changes in their magnetotransport behavior. In addition, our work outlines a strategy to reveal macroscopic physical observables of TSS in compounds with a semi-metallic bulk band structure, as is the case in multi-functional Heusler compounds, thereby opening up opportunities for their utilization in hybrid quantum structures.