Origin of Hall plateaus in bulk ZrTe_5 · revision history

Revision 2

Accepted · core change · record

Changes against revision 1:

Title · changed
Revision 1: Origin of Hall plateaus in bulk ZrTe5
Revision 2: Origin of Hall plateaus in bulk $\mathrm{ZrTe_5}$
Plain · changed
Revision 1: Thick crystals of ZrTe5 show Hall-resistance plateaus resembling the quantum Hall effect, which normally needs a two-dimensional sample, and whether a field-induced charge-density wave causes them is unsettled.
Revision 2: Thick crystals of $\mathrm{ZrTe_5}$ show Hall-resistance plateaus resembling the quantum Hall effect, which normally needs a two-dimensional sample, and whether a field-induced charge-density wave causes them is unsettled.
Precise · changed · core
Revision 1: In bulk ZrTe5 (and HfTe5), Tang et al. (Nature, 2019) reported Hall plateaus with $\rho_{xy}\sim (1/2)(h/e^2)\lambda_z$, $\lambda_z$ the Fermi wavelength along the field, attributed to a field-induced charge-density wave in the quantum limit. Determine whether a density modulation and gap exist or whether the plateau-like features come from quantum-limit band physics alone. An answer is an identification backed by direct structural or spectroscopic evidence.
Revision 2: In bulk $\mathrm{ZrTe_5}$ (and $\mathrm{HfTe_5}$), Tang et al. (Nature, 2019) reported Hall plateaus with $\rho_{xy}\sim (1/2)(h/e^2)\lambda_z$, $\lambda_z$ the Fermi wavelength along the field, attributed to a field-induced charge-density wave in the quantum limit. Determine whether a density modulation and gap exist or whether the plateau-like features come from quantum-limit band physics alone. An answer is an identification backed by direct structural or spectroscopic evidence.
Settled by
X-ray diffraction or ultrasound in the quantum limit detecting or excluding a density modulation with wavelength $\sim \lambda_z/2$, with transport on the same samples.
Kind
well-posed
Answer type
identification
References
(empty)
Literature status
contested
Status note
Thermodynamic and transport studies from 2021 argued the plateaus arise without a charge-density wave; no direct structural detection as of 2026.
Posed since
2019

Decisions