Square Net TaSiAs Nanowires with Topological Surface Conduction and Linear Magnetoresistance

Abstract

Square-net topological materials exhibit various interesting properties arising from the interplay of their structural diversity, topologically protected bands and different possible electronic features, including intrinsic magnetic ordering and superconductivity. However, little is known about the low-dimensional structures of these materials and their properties. Realization of low-dimensional topological square-net materials has the potential of enabling enhancement of their quantum behavior arising from quasi-compact 1D geometry and high surface-to-volume ratio, and their integration into functional devices. This work reports on the synthesis and properties of high-quality, single-crystal nanowires of Si square-net material TaSiAs. The chemical-vapor-transport produces TaSiAs nanowires that are chemically encapsulated with a thin dielectric shell of SiO2, enabling remarkable ambient stability and a pristine surface, which are critical for observing robust topologically protected surface states. Atomic-resolution structural analysis reveals a sharp core-shell interface, and a Si square-net lattice extending along the nanowire axis. These chemically protected nanowires allowed us to observe rich electrical and magnetotransport features, including 4 to 11 times lower room-temperature resistivity than the closest bulk analogues and non-saturating linear magnetoresistance, revealing topologically protected coherent surface transport. First-principles calculations show a wide-range (4 eV) linear band dispersion, alongside different Dirac cones that are protected by either symmorphic (C4) or non-symmorphic symmetries, predicting transport features consistent with our results. The findings demonstrate the unique properties of low-dimensional square-net topological materials and their potential applications, including next-generation interconnects, spintronic devices and quantum computing.