Quantum geometric renormalization of the Hall coefficient and unconventional Hall resistivity in ZrTe5

Abstract

<p>The anomalous Hall effect (AHE), conventionally associated with time-reversal symmetry breaking in<br>ferromagnetic materials, has recently been observed in nonmagnetic topological materials, raising<br>questions about its origin. We unravel the unconventional Hall response in the nonmagnetic Dirac<br>material ZrTe5, known for its massive Dirac bands and unique electronic and transport properties.<br>Using the Kubo-Streda formula within the Landau level framework, we explore the interplay of<br>quantum effects induced by the magnetic field (B) and disorder across the semiclassical and quantum<br>regimes. In the semiclassical regime, the Hall resistivity remains linear in the magnetic field, but the Hall<br>coefficient will be renormalized by the quantum geometric effects and electron-hole coherence,<br>especially at low carrier densities where the disorder scattering dominates. In quantum limit, the Hall<br>conductivity exhibits an unsaturating 1/B scaling. As a result, the transverse conductivity dominates<br>transport in the ultra-quantum limit, and the Hall resistivity crosses over from B to B−1 dependence as<br>the system transitions from the semiclassical regime to the quantum limit. This work elucidates the<br>mechanisms underlying the unconventional Hall effect in ZrTe5 and provides insights into the AHE in<br>other nonmagnetic Dirac materials as well.</p>