Time-reversal symmetry breaking in charge density wave of CsV3Sb5 detected by polar Kerr effect

Abstract

<title>Abstract</title> The Kagome lattice exhibits rich quantum phenomena owing to its unique geometric properties. Appealing realizations are the Kagome metals AV₃Sb₅ (A = K, Rb, Cs), where unconventional charge density wave (CDW) is intertwined with superconductivity and non-trivial band topology. Several experiments suggest that this CDW is a rare occurrence of chiral CDW characterized by orbital loop current. However, key evidences of loop current, spontaneous time-reversal symmetry-breaking (TRSB) and the coupling of its order parameter with magnetic field remain elusive. Here, we investigate the CDW in CsV3Sb5 by polar Kerr effect. Under magnetic field, we observed a jump of the Kerr angle at the CDW transition. This jump is magnetic-field switchable and scales with field, indicating magneto-chirality coupling related to non-trivial band topology. At zero field, we found non-zero and field-trainable Kerr angle below T_CDW, signaling spontaneous TRSB. Our results provide a crucial step to unveil quantum phenomena in correlated Kagome materials.