Composition dependence of bulk properties in the Co-intercalated transition-metal dichalcogenide Co$_{1/3}$TaS$_2$

Abstract

Spontaneous Hall conductivity has recently been reported in the triangular lattice antiferromagnet Co$_{1/3}$TaS$_2$ under a zero magnetic field. This phenomenon originates from the distinctive noncoplanar triple-Q magnetic ground state, possessing uniform real-space Berry curvature characterized by scalar spin chirality. We investigated the physical properties of Co$_{1/3}$TaS$_2$ by judiciously controlling the composition, revealing a drastic change in its bulk properties, even by slight variations in cobalt composition, despite the same crystal structure. For $0.299 < x < 0.325$, Co$_x$TaS$_2$ keeps all the characteristics of the ground state consistent with the previous studies -- two antiferromagnetic phase transitions at $T_{N1}$ and $T_{N2} (< T_{N1})$, a large spontaneous Hall conductivity (${\sigma}_{xy} (H=0)$), and a weak ferromagnetic moment along the c-axis. However, samples with $x > 0.330$ exhibit distinct bulk properties, including the absence of both ${\sigma}_{xy} (H=0)$ and the weak ferromagnetic moment. Our neutron diffraction data reveal that Co$_x$TaS$_2$ with $x > 0.330$ develops coplanar helical magnetic order with $q_{m1} = (1/3, 0, 0)$. This is entirely different from what has been seen in $x < 0.325$, explaining the observed composition dependence.