Determination of the Fermi surface and field-induced quasiparticle tunneling around the Dirac nodal loop in ZrSiS

Abstract

Unambiguous and complete determination of the Fermi surface is a primary step in understanding the electronic properties of topical metals and semimetals, but only in a relatively few cases has this goal been realized. In this work, we present a systematic high-field quantum oscillation study up to 35 T on ZrSiS, a textbook example of a nodal-line semimetal with only linearly dispersive bands crossing the Fermi energy. The topology of the Fermi surface is determined with unprecedented precision and all pockets are identified by comparing the measured angle dependence of the quantum oscillations to density-functional-theory calculations. Comparison of the Shubnikov-de Haas and de Haas-van Alphen oscillations at low temperatures and analysis of the respective Dingle plots reveal the presence of significantly enhanced scattering on the electron pocket. Above a threshold field that is aligned along the c axis of the crystal, the specific cage like Fermi surface of ZrSiS allows for electron-hole tunneling to occur across finite gaps in momentum space, leading to quantum oscillations with a complex frequency spectrum. Additional high-frequency quantum oscillations signify magnetic breakdown orbits that encircle the entire Dirac nodal loop. We suggest that the persistence of quantum oscillations in the resistivity to high temperatures is caused by Stark interference between orbits of nearly equal masses.