Zitterbewegung in time-reversal Weyl Semimetals

Abstract

We perform a systematic study of the Zitterbewegung effect of fermions, which are described by a Gaussian wave with broken spatial-inversion symmetry in a three-dimensional low-energy Weyl semimetal. Our results show that the motion of fermions near the Weyl points is characterized by rectilinear motion and Zitterbewegung oscillation. The ZB oscillation is affected by the width of the Gaussian wave packet, the position of the Weyl node, and the chirality and anisotropy of the fermions. By introducing a one-dimensional cosine potential, the new generated massless fermions have lower Fermi Velocities, which results in a robust relativistic oscillation. Modulating the height and periodicity of periodic potential demonstrates that the ZB effect of fermions in the different Brillouin zones exhibits quasi-periodic behavior. These results may provide an appropriate system for probing the Zitterbewegung effect experimentally.