Crystal Growth and anisotropic magneto-transport properties of semimetallic LaNiSb3

TL;DR

This study reports the synthesis, structural characterization, and detailed anisotropic magneto-transport properties of LaNiSb$_3$, revealing its multiband electronic behavior and potential as a topological semimetal candidate.

Contribution

It provides the first comprehensive analysis of LaNiSb$_3$'s crystal structure and anisotropic magneto-transport, highlighting its multiband conduction and anisotropic charge transport properties.

Findings

LaNiSb$_3$ crystallizes in orthorhombic $Pbcm$ space group.

Electrical resistivity shows metallic behavior from 3 to 300 K.

Magnetoresistance is anisotropic, reaching ~8% for $H ext{ } ext{parallel} ext{ } b$.

Abstract

Single crystals of LaNiSb$_3$ were grown using the Sn flux method. Structural characterization confirms that LaNiSb$_3$ crystallizes in the orthorhombic $Pbcm$ space group with lattice parameters $a = 13.0970(2)\,\mathrm{\AA}$, $b = 6.1400(4)\,\mathrm{\AA}$, and $c = 12.1270(4)\,\mathrm{\AA}$. Electrical resistivity measurements demonstrate metallic behavior over the entire temperature range of 3--300~K. The magnetoresistance exhibits a positive anisotropic response, attaining a maximum of $\sim 8\%$ for $H \parallel b$, with a pronounced crossover from quadratic to nearly linear field dependence. Angular-dependent MR measurements reveal a pronounced twofold symmetry upon magnetic field rotation within both the $ab$ and $ac$ crystallographic planes up to 50~K, indicating anisotropic charge transport. Hall resistivity measurements show predominantly electron-type conduction at high temperatures, with an increasing hole contribution upon cooling. The multiband character is further corroborated by the violation of Kohler's scaling and is well described within a semiclassical two-band framework. Collectively, these results suggest that LaNiSb$_3$ exhibits anisotropic multiband electronic transport and is a compelling candidate for exploring structure--property correlations in topological semimetals.