Magnetotransport evidence of a potential low-lying Dirac node in NbAl$_3$

Abstract

NbAl$_3$ is a novel semimetal with a type-II Dirac node ~230 meV above the Fermi energy. We have performed both out-of-plane ($B\parallel c$) and in-plane magnetotransport measurements ($B\perp c$) on single-crystalline NbAl$_3$. In our out-of-plane data, we observe an interesting linear component in the transverse magnetoresistance, and the mobility spectrum analysis of the out-of-plane data reveals an emergence of high-mobility electrons at low temperatures. Near $B\parallel c$, Shubnikov-de Haas oscillations are discerned in the magnetoresistance. The oscillation frequencies agree with the density functional theory calculation, the same theory that shows that the Dirac node is far above the Fermi energy. Therefore, the out-of-plane results cannot be attributed to the type-II Dirac node but suggest NbAl$_3$ has additional Dirac or Weyl nodes close to the Fermi energy. To support this, we examine the in-plane data obtained with the magnetic field perpendicular to the tilting direction of the type-II Dirac cone. Such field direction excludes the possibility of chiral anomaly from the predicted type-II Dirac node. Remarkably, we observe the planar Hall effect, anisotropic magnetoresistance, and negative longitudinal magnetoresistance. These in-plane results are a strong indication of chiral anomaly unrelated to the previously established type-II Dirac node, pointing to the presence of additional Dirac or Weyl nodes near the Fermi energy. Our new density functional theory calculation reveals a type-I Dirac node ~50 meV below the Fermi energy that has previously been overlooked. We argue that the exotic transport phenomena observed in NbAl$_3$ can be attributed to the newly identified type-I Dirac node.