Origin of the tiny energy gap and Dirac points in monoclinic trilayer nickelate La$_4$Ni$_3$O$_{10}$

Abstract

Superconductivity was recently found in trilayer nickelate La$_4$Ni$_3$O$_{10}$ under high pressure with a phase transition from the monoclinic P2$_1$/a structure to the tetragonal I4/mmm structure. Previous experimental works have confirmed the existence of a tiny energy gap formed with Ni 3d$_{z^2}$ orbitals in monoclinic La$_4$Ni$_3$O$_{10}$. Here we investigate the physical origin of this gap by analyzing symmetry properties of energy bands based on the group theory. The tiny gap comes from energy bands with opposite parity at the Brillouin zone center. In addition, we also find previously unknown Dirac points in some momentum directions around the Fermi level. An effective Hamiltonian is constructed to describe low energy physics of the tiny energy gap and Dirac points. Due to the low crystal symmetry of monoclinic La$_4$Ni$_3$O$_{10}$, its energy bands display strong anisotropic properties.