Bloch oscillations from surface Fermi arcs to bulk states in magnetized Weyl semimetal slabs under applied strain

Abstract The Bloch oscillations of Weyl fermionic wave packets in magnetized Weyl semimetal slabs under the influence of applied strain are investigated. We find that the surface Fermi arcs and bulk states in Weyl semimetal exhibit pronounced distinct Bloch oscillations that strongly depend on the crystal momentum. Interestingly, the oscillations of surface Fermi arcs are periodic which are affected by varying the strength of applied strain but are not influenced by the magnetization direction and geometric confinement of the system. However, the Bloch oscillations of the bulk states are affected by varying the magnetization direction, strength of the strain and the geometric confinement. Remarkably, Bloch-oscillating Weyl semimetals emit a comb-like spectrum of incommensurate frequencies, providing potential for high-frequency current generation and terahertz broadband amplifiers. In addition, the direct-current drift velocity shows negative differential conductivity, a hallmark of the Bloch oscillation regime.