Quantized surface transport in topological Dirac semimetal films

Authors
S. Nishihaya, M. Uchida*, Y. Nakazawa, R. Kurihara, K. Akiba, M. Kriener, A. Miyake, Y. Taguchi, M. Tokunaga, and M. Kawasaki

Abstract
Unconventional surface states protected by non-trivial bulk orders are sources of various exotic quantum transport in topological materials. One prominent example is the unique magnetic orbit, so-called Weyl orbit, in topological semimetals where two spatially separated surface Fermi-arcs are interconnected across the bulk. The recent observation of quantum Hall states in Dirac semimetal Cd₃As₂ bulks have drawn attention to the novel quantization phenomena possibly evolving from the Weyl orbit. Here we report surface quantum oscillation and its evolution into quantum Hall states in Cd₃As₂ thin film samples, where bulk dimensionality, Fermi energy, and band topology are systematically controlled. We reveal essential involvement of bulk states in the quantized surface transport and the resultant quantum Hall degeneracy depending on the bulk occupation. Our demonstration of surface transport controlled in film samples also paves a way for engineering Fermi-arc-mediated transport in topological semimetals.

Nature Communications：https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-019-10499-0