Direction-Selective Anomalous Quantum Transport from Saddle-like Topological Surface States Coupled to an Electronic Instability in YbSb$_{2}$
We report direction-selective anomalous quantum transport in epitaxial YbSb$_{2}$ thin films associated with an interplay between anisotropic topological surface states and an electronic instability. Quantum oscillations reveal a quasi-two-dimensional orbit with a non-trivial Berry phase and Dirac-like dispersion, observable for current along the $a$-axis but absent along the orthogonal in-plane $c$-axis. Together with first-principles calculations, these observations support its assignment to a saddle-like topological surface state. Its oscillation amplitude exhibits a field-dependent, non-monotonic temperature evolution that departs from conventional Lifshitz-Kosevich behavior. Raman and coherent phonon spectroscopy reveal additional low-temperature modes consistent with a density-wave instability. Their pronounced polarization anisotropy and colossal field-induced Raman enhancement suggest a strongly anisotropic, field-enhanced electronic susceptibility associated with the density-wave modes. Our findings point to dynamical coupling between anisotropic topological surface states and a field-responsive density-wave instability as a route to direction-selective anomalous quantum transport.
Authors
- Kartick Biswas
- Bahadur Singh (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2013-1126)
- Pavan Nukala (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3988-4224)
- Shivesh Yadav (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0897-9463)
- Kulkarni Nilesh
- John Harter (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7146-9370)
- Surajit Saha (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3664-3775)
- Shouvik Chatterjee (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8981-788X)
- Rudra Dhara (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0000-4975-1866)
- Shikhar Gupta
- Pritesh Srivastava
- Shivani
- Danilo Ratkovski
- Jack Tregidga
- Rahul Sharma
- Sarthak S. Gandhi
- Shankhadip Bhattacharjee
Publication Details
- Journal
- arXiv (Cornell University)
- Published
- 2026-11-10
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2611.14360
- Primary Topic
- Topological Materials and Phenomena
- Type
- preprint