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Updated: Mar 10, 2026

Angle-resolved Photoemission Spectroscopy At Ultra-low Temperatures
Published on: October 9, 2012
Evidence for a Strong Topological Insulator Phase in ZrTe_{5}
G Manzoni1, L Gragnaniello2, G Autès3,4
1Universitá degli Studi di Trieste, Via Alfonso Valerio 2, Trieste 34127, Italy.
Abstract:
The complex electronic properties of ZrTe_{5} have recently stimulated in-depth investigations that assigned this material to either a topological insulator or a 3D Dirac semimetal phase. Here we report a comprehensive experimental and theoretical study of both electronic and structural properties of ZrTe_{5}, revealing that the bulk material is a strong topological insulator (STI). By means of angle-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy, we identify at the top of the valence band both a surface and a bulk state. The dispersion of these bands is well captured by ab initio calculations for the STI case, for the specific interlayer distance measured in our x-ray diffraction study. Furthermore, these findings are supported by scanning tunneling spectroscopy revealing the metallic character of the sample surface, thus confirming the strong topological nature of ZrTe_{5}.
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