Magnetotransport properties of layered topological material ZrTe₂ thin film

Abstract

ZrTe₂ is a candidate topological material from the layered two-dimensional transition-metal dichalcogenide family, and thus the material may show exotic electrical transport properties and may be promising for quantum device applications. In this work, we report the successful growth of layered ZrTe2 thin film by pulsed-laser deposition and the experimental results of its magnetotransport properties. In the presence of a perpendicular magnetic field, the 60 nm thick ZrTe₂ film shows a large magnetoresistance of 3000% at 2 K and 9 T. A robust linear magnetoresistance is observed under an in-plane magnetic field, and negative magnetoresistance appears in the film when the magnetic field is parallel to the current direction. Furthermore, the Hall results reveal that the ZrTe₂ thin film has a high electron mobility of about 1.8 × 104 cm2 V⁻¹ s⁻¹ at 2 K. These findings provide insights into further investigations and potential applications of this layered topological material system.