Magnetic-field-induced insulating behavior in black phosphorus under pressure

TL;DR

This study explores how applying pressure to black phosphorus induces insulating behavior under magnetic fields, potentially revealing a pressure-tuned electronic phase transition linked to excitonic states.

Contribution

It provides experimental evidence of magnetic-field-induced insulating behavior in pressurized black phosphorus, suggesting a pressure-controlled electronic phase transition.

Findings

Enhanced magnetoresistance observed without Lorentz force influence

Insulating behavior near the semiconductor-semimetal transition

Potential realization of field-induced electronic phase transition

Abstract

We investigated the out-of-plane magnetoresistance of pressurized black phosphorus (BP) with a longitudinal field configuration. Despite the absence of the Lorentz force in the present configuration, we observed a significant enhancement of magnetoresistance marked with a clear onset field in both the semiconducting (1.1 GPa) and semimetallic (1.3 GPa) phases. The insulating behavior observed near the semiconductor-semimetal transitio pressure is possibly associated with emergence of an excitonic phase, which has been suggested in a recent theoretical study. BP under finely tuned pressure can be a candidate to realize the field-induced electronic phase transition in a moderate magnetic field below 9 T.