Global phase diagram of disordered type-II Weyl semimetals

Abstract

With electron and hole pockets touching at the Weyl node, type-II Weyl semimetal is a newly proposed topological state distinct from its type-I cousin. We numerically study the localization effect for tilted type-I as well as type-II Weyl semimetals and give the global phase diagram. For disordered type-I Weyl semimetal, an intermediate three-dimensional quantum anomalous Hall phase is confirmed between Weyl semimetal phase and diffusive metal phase. However, this intermediate phase is absent for disordered type-II Weyl semimetal. Besides, along the direction of tilt, comparing to its type-I cousin, type-II Weyl semimetal typically possesses longer normalized localization length and therefore it is more robust against disorder. Near the phase boundary between the type-I and the type-II Weyl semimetals, infinitesimal disorder will induce an insulating phase so that, in this region, the concept of Weyl semimetal is meaningless for real materials.