Giant Planar Hall Effect in the Dirac Semimetal ZrTe5

Abstract

Exploration and understanding of exotic topics in quantum physics such as Dirac and Weyl semimetals have become highly popular in the area of condensed matter. It has recently been predicted that a theoretical giant planar Hall effect can be induced by a chiral anomaly in Dirac and Weyl semimetals. ZrTe5 is considered an intriguing Dirac semimetal at the boundary of weak and strong topological insulators, though this claim is still controversial. In this study, we report the observation in ZrTe5 of giant planar Hall resistivity. We have also noted three different dependences of this resistivity on the magnetic field, as predicted by theory, maximum planar Hall resistivity occurs at the Lifshitz transition temperature. In addition, we have discovered a nontrivial Berry phase, as well as a chiral-anomaly-induced negative longitudinal and a giant in-plane anisotropic magnetoresistance. All these experimental observations coherently demonstrate that ZrTe5 is a Dirac semimetal.