Magnetic mixed valent semimetal EuZnSb2 with Dirac states in the band structure

We report discovery of antiferromagnetic semimetal EuZnSb2, obtained and studied in the form of single crystals. Electric resistivity, magnetic susceptibility, and heat capacity indicate antiferromagnetic order of Eu with TN = 20 K. The effective moment of Eu2+ inferred from the magnetization and specific heat measurement is 3.5 μB, smaller than the theoretical value of Eu2+ due to presence of both Eu3+ and Eu2+. Magnetic-field-dependent resistivity measurements suggest dominant quasi-two-dimensional Fermi surfaces whereas the first-principle calculations point to the presence of Dirac fermions. Therefore, EuZnSb2 could represent the first platform to study the interplay of dynamical charge fluctuations, localized magnetic 4f moments, and Dirac states with Sb orbital character.Received 3 May 2020Accepted 5 August 2020DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevResearch.2.033462Published by the American Physical Society under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license. Further distribution of this work must maintain attribution to the author(s) and the published article's title, journal citation, and DOI.Published by the American Physical SocietyPhysics Subject Headings (PhySH)Research AreasTopological materialsPhysical SystemsRare-earth alloysTechniquesCrystallographyDensity functional theoryMagnetization measurementsResistivity measurementsSpecific heat measurementsX-ray absorption spectroscopyX-ray photoelectron spectroscopyCondensed Matter, Materials & Applied Physics