Bulk Dirac points in distorted spinels.
We report on a Dirac-like Fermi surface in three-dimensional bulk materials in a distorted spinel structure on the basis of density functional theory as well as tight-binding theory. The four examples we provide in this Letter are BiZnSiO4, BiCaSiO4, BiAlInO4, and BiMgSiO4. A necessary characteristic of these structures is that they contain a Bi lattice which forms a hierarchy of chainlike substructures, with consequences for both fundamental understanding and materials design.
The Makineni Theoretical Laboratories, Department of Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104-6323, USA and Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104-6396, USA.
Julia A
JA
Steinberg
The Makineni Theoretical Laboratories, Department of Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104-6323, USA.
Steve M
SM
Young
Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104-6396, USA.
Saad
S
Zaheer
Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104-6396, USA.
C L
CL
Kane
Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104-6396, USA.
E J
EJ
Mele
The Makineni Theoretical Laboratories, Department of Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104-6323, USA.
Andrew M
AM
Rappe