Probing the Shape of the Weyl Fermi Surface of NbP Using Transverse Electron Focusing

Abstract

Weyl semimetals are defined by their unique Fermi surface, comprising pairs of Weyl points of opposite chirality, connected through topological surface states. Angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES) has been used to verify the existence of the Weyl points and the Fermi arcs. However, ARPES is limited in resolution, leading to significant uncertainty when characterizing the shape of the Fermi surface of semimetals and measuring features such as the distance between the Weyl points. Here, to surpass the resolution of ARPES, we combine quantum oscillation measurements with transverse electron focusing experiments. These techniques offer complementary information, enabling the reconstruction of the distinctive peanut-shaped cross section of the Weyl Fermi surface and accurately determining the separation between Weyl points in the Weyl semimetal NbP. Our Letter showcases the integration of quantum oscillations and transverse electron focusing, allowing for the measurements of complex Fermi surface geometries, concurrently with carriers’ transport properties, in high-mobility quantum materials. Published by the American Physical Society 2024