Zeeman Field-Induced Two-Dimensional Weyl Semimetal Phase in Cadmium Arsenide.

We report a topological phase transition in quantum-confined cadmium arsenide (Cd_{3}As_{2}) thin films under an in-plane Zeeman field when the Fermi level is tuned into the topological gap via an electric field. Symmetry considerations in this case predict the appearance of a two-dimensional Weyl semimetal (2D WSM), with a pair of Weyl nodes of opposite chirality at charge neutrality that are protected by space-time inversion (C_{2}T) symmetry. We show that the 2D WSM phase displays unique transport signatures, including saturated resistivities on the order of h/e^{2} that persist over a range of in-plane magnetic fields.

Two-Dimensional Topological Insulator State in Cadmium Arsenide Thin Films.

Two-dimensional topological insulators (2D TIs) are a highly desired quantum phase but few materials have demonstrated clear signatures of a 2D TI state. It has been predicted that 2D TIs can be created from thin films of three-dimensional TIs by reducing the film thickness until the surface states hybridize. Here, we employ this technique to report the first observation of a 2D TI state in epitaxial thin films of cadmium arsenide, a prototype Dirac semimetal in bulk form.