Lacking Raman spectroscopic evidence for a structural phase transition in ZrTe 5 at 141 K

Abstract

The Raman spectra of ZrTe 5 are recorded at various temperatures between 10 and 500 K. The data give no evidence for a structural phase transition, in spite of appreciable temperature dependent effects in some of the Raman modes. The lack of Raman spectroscopic evidence for a low temperature structural phase transition in ZrTe 5 is also confirmed by powder X-ray and neutron diffraction data collected over 100 to 295 and 10 to 295 K, respectively. The present findings strongly suggest that the reported anomaly in the electrical resistivity at 141 K must reflect change(s) in the electronic band structure of ZrTe 5, and the temperature dependences of the Raman spectra could be caused by variations in the first order susceptibility.