Distinct topological Hall responses in CeCu2-type EuZn2 and EuCd2 films

Rare-earth intermetallic compounds crystallized in AlB2-type and its low-symmetry derivative CeCu2-type structures potentially host diverse frustrated magnetic structures and rich magnetotransport phenomena. We report the film growth of CeCu2-type EuZn2 by molecular beam epitaxy and the observation of topological Hall responses highly contrastive to isostructural EuCd2. While their magnetization curves are rather similar, the topological Hall effect observed in EuZn2 is simpler, with the only one component enhanced at the magnetic transition field. EuZn2 may be a unique system for studying the magnetic domain boundary effect on topological Hall responses among the CeCu2-type rare-earth intermetallic compounds.