Abstract
The hallmark of Weyl semimetals is the existence of open constant-energy contours on their surface - the so-called Fermi arcs - connecting Weyl points. Here, we show that for time-reversal symmetric realizations of Weyl semimetals these Fermi arcs in many cases coexist with closed Fermi pockets originating from surface Dirac cones pinned to time-reversal invariant momenta. The existence of Fermi pockets is required for certain Fermi-arc connectivities due to additional restrictions imposed by the six $\mathbb{Z}_2$ topological invariants characterizing a generic time-reversal invariant Weyl semimetal. We show that a change of the Fermi-arc connectivity generally leads to a different topology of the surface Fermi surface, and identify the half-Heusler compound LaPtBi under in-plane compressive strain as a material that realizes this surface Lifshitz transition. We also discuss universal features of this coexistence in quasi-particle interference spectra.
Original language | Undefined/Unknown |
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Article number | 076801 |
Journal | Physical Review Letters |
Volume | 119 |
Issue number | 7 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 18 Aug 2017 |
Keywords
- Dirac fermions
- Topological phases of matter
- Weyl fermions