Pseudogap Formation in the Nodal-Line Semimetal NaAlGe

TL;DR

This study reveals that NaAlGe, unlike its isostructural counterpart NaAlSi, has a pseudogap near the Fermi level caused by Fermi surface instability, explaining its lack of superconductivity.

Contribution

It provides the first detailed experimental evidence of a pseudogap in NaAlGe and links it to Fermi surface instability, contrasting with NaAlSi's superconductivity.

Findings

NaAlGe has a pseudogap of about 100 K near the Fermi level.

NaAlGe's pseudogap is due to Fermi surface instability, not electron-phonon interactions.

NaAlSi exhibits superconductivity, unlike NaAlGe.

Abstract

NaAlSi and NaAlGe are isostructural and isoelectronic semimetals with topological nodal lines close to the Fermi level. Despite having virtually identical electronic structures, NaAlSi exhibits superconductivity below Tc = 6.8 K, whereas NaAlGe does not. We investigate NaAlGe by measuring its electrical resistivity, Hall effect, magnetic susceptibility, and heat capacity using single crystals. It is revealed that NaAlGe is not a simple semimetal but rather has an unusual ground state with a small pseudogap of approximately 100 K close to the Fermi level. We argue that the formation of the pseudogap in NaAlGe is due to an unexpected Fermi surface instability, such as an excitonic instability, as opposed to the electron-phonon instability that leads to the formation of the superconducting gap in NaAlSi.