Low-temperature resistivity upturn and weak antilocalization in layered Ta1.04Ru0.78Te4 bulk single crystal

Abstract

Quantum corrections to conductivity, which reflect charge carriers' quantum behavior, are a significant topic in condensed state physics and device design. A resistivity upturn at low temperature or weak antilocalization due to quantum corrections has been often observed experimentally. However, the coexistence of the low-temperature resistivity upturn and weak antilocalization from quantum corrections in bulk single crystals is seldom reported. Here, we report the transport properties of bulk Ta1.04Ru0.78Te4 single crystals. The samples showed a metallic behavior with a resistivity upturn below ∼8.6 K, which may be the result of quantum correction to the resistivity. The magnetic field enhances the upturn feature. The weakly nonlinear Hall resistivity with a positive slope suggests a p-type and multiband feature for bulk Ta1.04Ru0.78Te4; the electron and hole concentrations and mobilities of the samples are very close to each other and have the same order of magnitude. The Ta1.04Ru0.78Te4 single crystals displayed small and positive magnetoresistance, and the 3 K magnetoresistance at 9 T was about 15%. A lack of overlap of Kohler's plot curves at different temperature implies the violation of Kohler's rule. At low temperature, the dip-like magnetoresistance at low field strengths suggests a weak antilocalization in the Ta1.04Ru0.78Te4 single crystal. A small phase coherence length implies weakened screening and enhancing electron–electron interaction effects. These results reveal the quantum transport properties of Ta1.04Ru0.78Te4 single crystals, which can be considered in the future device design.