Understanding the three-dimensional quantum Hall effect in generic multi-Weyl semimetals

TL;DR

This paper investigates the three-dimensional quantum Hall effect in multi-Weyl semimetals, revealing how tilting and non-linearity affect Landau levels and quantized Hall conductivities under various magnetic field orientations.

Contribution

It provides a systematic analysis of Landau levels and Hall conductivity in tilted multi-Weyl semimetals, highlighting the conditions for quantization and the influence of topological charge.

Findings

Quantized sheet Hall conductivity occurs in specific magnetic field orientations.

Fermi loop topology determines the quantization of Hall conductivity.

Topological charge influences the jump profiles between quantized plateaus.

Abstract

The quantum Hall effect in three-dimensional Weyl semimetal (WSM) receives significant attention for the emergence of the Fermi loop where the underlying two-dimensional Hall conductivity, namely, sheet Hall conductivity, shows quantized plateaus. Considering the tilted lattice models for multi Weyl semimetals (mWSMs), we systematically study the Landau levels (LLs) and magneto-Hall conductivity in the presence of parallel and perpendicular (with respect to the Weyl node's separation) magnetic field, i.e., $\mathbf{ B}\parallel z$ and $\mathbf{B}\parallel x$, to explore the impact of tilting and non-linearity in the dispersion. We make use of two (single) node low-energy models to qualitatively explain the emergence of mid-gap chiral (linear crossing of chiral) LLs on the lattice for $\mathbf{ B}\parallel z$ ($\mathbf{ B}\parallel x$). Remarkably, we find that the sheet Hall conductivity becomes quantized for $\mathbf{ B}\parallel z$ even when two Weyl nodes project onto a single Fermi point in two opposite surfaces, forming a Fermi loop with $k_z$ as the good quantum number. On the other hand, the Fermi loop, connecting two distinct Fermi points in two opposite surfaces, with $k_x$ being the good quantum number, causes the quantization in sheet Hall conductivity for $\mathbf{ B}\parallel x$. The quantization is almost lost (perfectly remained) in the type-II phase for $\mathbf{ B}\parallel x$ ($\mathbf{ B}\parallel z$). Interestingly, the jump profiles between the adjacent quantized plateaus change with the topological charge for both of the above cases. The momentum-integrated three-dimensional Hall conductivity is not quantized; however, it bears the signature of chiral LLs as resulting in the linear dependence on $\mu$ for small $\mu$. The linear zone (its slope) reduces (increases) as the tilt (topological charge) of the underlying WSM increases.