Field-induced Lifshitz transition in the magnetic Weyl semimetal candidate PrAlSi

Abstract

Lifshitz transition (LT) refers to an abrupt change in the electronic structure and Fermi surface and is associated to a variety of emergent quantum phenomena. Amongst the LTs observed in known materials, the field-induced LT has been rare and its origin remains elusive. To understand the origin of field-induced LT, it is important to extend the material basis beyond the usual setting of heavy fermion metals. Here, we report on a field-induced LT in PrAlSi, a magnetic Weyl semimetal candidate with localized 4f electrons, through a study of magnetotransport up to 55 T. The quantum oscillation analysis reveals that across a threshold field B* ≈ 14.5 T the oscillation frequency (F1 = 43 T) is replaced by two new frequencies (F2 = 62 T and F3 = 103 T). Strikingly, the LT occurs well below the quantum limit, with obvious temperature-dependent oscillation frequency and field-dependent cyclotron mass. Our work not only enriches the rare examples of field-induced LTs but also paves the way for further investigation of the interplay among topology, magnetism, and electronic correlation.