Electronic structure, doping effect and topological signature in realistic intermetallics Li3-xNaxM (x = 3, 2, 1, 0; M = N, P, As, Sb, Bi)

Ideal nodal-net, nodal-chain, and nodal-cage phonons in some realistic materials

The topological interpretation of phonons provides a new platform for new concepts in phonon physics. While reports on topological electronic excitations are plenty, the number of reports on phonons is extremely limited. In this paper, we present some realistic materials as examples and demonstrate the appearance of ideal nodal-net, nodal-chain, and nodal-cage phonons in these materials based on first-principle calculations; Pna2₁ LiAlSe₂ has a nodal-net phonon, which is composed of two nodal-chain phonons along the U-R and U-Z directions; Pnma NaMgH₃ has a nodal-chain phonon in the extended Brillouin zone (BZ), which comprises two Weyl nodal-ring phonons in the k_x-k_z and k_x-k_y planes. Moreover, P4₂/ncm AuBr has a nodal-cage phonon, which is composed of nodal-line phonons in the k_z = 0, k_z = π, k_x = 0, and k_y = 0 planes. Because the presented phonon bands and phonon surface states in these materials are quite clean, they can be easily detected in experiments. Our research results provide an ideal platform for realising complex geometric shapes (formed by nodal lines) in the momentum space of phonons.

Complex nodal structure phonons formed by open and closed nodal lines in CoAsS and Na2CuP solids

Topological phononic states with nodal lines have not only updated our knowledge of the phases of matter in a fundamental way, they have also become a major frontier research direction...

Hexagonal Zr3X (X = Al, Ga, In) Metals: High Dynamic Stability, Nodal Loop, and Perfect Nodal Surface States

In recent years, topological semimetals/metals, including nodal point, nodal line, and nodal surface semimetals/metals, have been studied extensively because of their potential applications in spintronics and quantum computers. In this study, we predict a family of materials, Zr₃X (X = Al, Ga, In), hosting the nodal loop and nodal surface states in the absence of spin–orbit coupling. Remarkably, the energy variation of the nodal loop and nodal surface states in Zr₃X are very small, and these topological signatures lie very close to the Fermi level. When the effect of spin–orbit coupling is considered, the nodal loop and nodal surface states exhibit small energy gaps (<25 and 35 meV, respectively) that are suitable observables that reflect the spin-orbit coupling response of these topological signatures and can be detected in experiments. Moreover, these compounds are dynamically stable, and they consequently form potential material platforms to study nodal loop and nodal surface semimetals.

Pure Zirconium: Type II Nodal Line and Nodal Surface States

Type II nodal line states have novel properties, such as direction-reliant chiral anomalies and high anisotropic negative magneto-resistance. These type II nodal line states have been widely investigated. Compared to nodal line materials, there are far fewer proposed nodal surface materials, and furthermore, a very recent challenge is to find a realistic material that co-exhibits both nodal line and nodal surface states. In this manuscript, we present the study of the electronic and topological states of pure zirconium within the density functional theory. We found that pure Zr is an interesting material that rarely exhibits both the type II nodal line state (in kz = 0 plane) and nodal surface state (in kz = π plane). The nontrivial topological states are explained based on the orbital-resolved band structures. Our study shows that pure Zr can serve as a new platform to investigate the interplay between the nodal line state and the nodal surface state.

The Tetragonal Monoxide of Platinum: A New Platform for Investigating Nodal-Line and Nodal-Point Semimetallic Behavior

The search for new topological materials that are realistic to synthesize has attracted increasing attention. In this study, we systematically investigated the electronic, mechanical, and topological semimetallic properties, as well as the interesting surface states, of the tetragonal monoxide of platinum, which is realistic to synthesize, via a first-principles approach. Our calculated results indicate that PtO is a novel topological semimetal with double nodal lines in the k z = 0 plane and a pair of triple topological nodal points along the A'-M-A directions. Obvious surface states, including Fermi arc and drum-head-like surfaces, could be found around nodal points and nodal lines. The dynamic and mechanical stabilities of P4 2 /mmc-type PtO were examined in detail via calculation of the phonon dispersion and determination of elastic constants, respectively. Some other mechanical properties, including the bulk modulus, Young's modulus, shear modulus, Poisson's ratio, and Pugh's index, were considered in this study. P4 2 /mmc-type PtO provides a good research platform for investigation of novel behaviors that combine mechanical properties and rich topological elements.