Third-order nonlinear Hall effect induced by the Berry-connection polarizability tensor

Area of Science:

• Condensed Matter Physics
• Materials Science
• Solid-State Physics

Background:

• Nonlinear transport measurements reveal material properties beyond linear order, governed by specific symmetry requirements.
• The linear Hall effect indicates time-reversal symmetry breaking, while the second-order nonlinear Hall effect typically requires broken inversion symmetry.
• Previous studies on WTe2 linked crystal structure to nonlinear response, with the second-order effect probing Berry curvature dipole in non-magnetic materials.

Purpose of the Study:

• To experimentally investigate higher-order nonlinear Hall effects beyond the second order.
• To probe the Berry-connection polarizability tensor, an intrinsic band geometric property predicted by theory.
• To explore the potential of third-order nonlinear Hall effect for uncovering new material properties and applications in electronic devices.

Main Methods:

• Utilized nonlinear transport measurements on thick Td-MoTe2 samples.
• Performed angle-resolved measurements to understand symmetry constraints.
• Conducted temperature-dependent measurements.
• Employed first-principles calculations to evaluate Berry-connection polarizability contributions.

Main Results:

• Observed a dominant third-order nonlinear Hall effect in Td-MoTe2, surpassing linear and second-order responses.
• Demonstrated that crystal symmetry dictates the third-order nonlinear Hall effect.
• Found agreement between experimental third-order Hall response and theoretical calculations of Berry-connection polarizability.

Conclusions:

• The third-order nonlinear Hall effect is experimentally realized and dominated by crystal symmetry constraints.
• This effect provides a new experimental probe for intrinsic band geometric properties like Berry-connection polarizability.
• The third-order nonlinear Hall effect holds promise for the development of novel high-order-response electronic devices.