Engineering topics

Borrmann, Horst

Publications and source records attributed to Borrmann, Horst.

4 records

DOE OSTI2021

Direct Measurement of Helicoid Surface States in RhSi Using Nonlinear Optics

Despite the fundamental nature of the edge state in topological physics, direct measurement of electronic and optical properties of the Fermi arcs of topological semimetals has posed a significant experimental challenge, as their response is often overwhelmed by the metallic bulk. However, laser-driven currents carried by surface and bulk states can propagate in different directions in nonsymmorphic crystals, allowing for the two components to be easily separated. Motivated by a recent theoretical prediction G. Chang et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 124, 166404 (2020), we have measured the linear and circular photogalvanic effect currents deriving from the Fermi arcs of the nonsymmorphic, chiral Weyl semimetal RhSi over the 0.45-1.1 eV incident photon energy range. Our data are in good agreement with the predicted spectral shape of the circular photogalvanic effect as a function of photon energy, although the direction of the surface photocurrent departed from the theoretical expectation over the energy range studied. In conclusion, surface currents arising from the linear photogalvanic effect were observed as well, with the unexpected result that only two of the six allowed tensor element were required to describe the measurements, suggesting an approximate emergent mirror symmetry inconsistent with the space group of the crystal.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

DOE OSTI2021

Sondheimer oscillations as a probe of non-ohmic flow in WP 2 crystals

As conductors in electronic applications shrink, microscopic conduction processes lead to strong deviations from Ohm’s law. Depending on the length scales of momentum conserving (l MC ) and relaxing (l MR ) electron scattering, and the device size (d), current flows may shift from ohmic to ballistic to hydrodynamic regimes. So far, an in situ methodology to obtain these parameters within a micro/nanodevice is critically lacking. In this context, we exploit Sondheimer oscillations, semi-classical magnetoresistance oscillations due to helical electronic motion, as a method to obtain l MR even when l MR $\gg$ d. We extract l MR from the Sondheimer amplitude in WP 2 , at temperatures up to T ~ 40 K, a range most relevant for hydrodynamic transport phenomena. Our data on μm-sized devices are in excellent agreement with experimental reports of the bulk l MR and confirm that WP 2 can be microfabricated without degradation. These results conclusively establish Sondheimer oscillations as a quantitative probe of l MR in micro-devices.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2020

Helicity-dependent photocurrents in the chiral Weyl semimetal RhSi

Weyl semimetals are crystals in which electron bands cross at isolated points in momentum space. Associated with each crossing point (or Weyl node) is a topological invariant known as the Berry monopole charge. The circular photogalvanic effect (CPGE), whereby circular polarized light generates a helicity-dependent photocurrent, is a notable example of a macroscopic property that emerges directly from the topology of the Weyl semimetal band structure. Recently, it was predicted that the amplitude of the CPGE associated with optical transitions near a Weyl node is proportional to its monopole charge. In chiral Weyl systems, nodes of opposite charge are nondegenerate, opening a window of wavelengths where the CPGE resulting from uncompensated Berry charge can emerge. Here, we report measurements of CPGE in the chiral Weyl semimetal RhSi, revealing a CPGE response in an energy window that closes at 0.65 eV, in agreement with the predictions of density functional theory.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2020

Magnetic electron collimation in three-dimensional semi-metals

While electrons moving perpendicular to a magnetic field are confined to cyclotron orbits, they can move freely parallel to the field. This simple fact leads to complex current flow in clean, low carrier density semi-metals, such as long-ranged current jets forming along the magnetic field when currents pass through point-like constrictions. Occurring accidentally at imperfect current injection contacts, the phenomenon of "current jetting" plagues the research of longitudinal magneto-resistance, which is particularly important in topological conductors. Here we demonstrate the controlled generation of tightly focused electron beams in a new class of micro-devices machined from crystals of the Dirac semi-metal Cd 3 As 2 . The current beams can be guided by tilting a magnetic field and their range tuned by the field strength. Finite element simulations quantitatively capture the voltage induced at faraway contacts when the beams are steered towards them, supporting the picture of controlled electron jets. These experiments demonstrate direct control over the highly non-local signal propagation unique to 3D semi-metals in the current jetting regime, and may lead to applications akin to electron optics in free space.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗