Interplay between charge density wave order and magnetic field in the nonmagnetic rare-earth tritelluride <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"><mml:msub><mml:mi>LaTe</mml:mi><mml:mn>3</mml:mn></mml:msub></mml:math>
Arnab Pariari, S. Koley, Shubhankar Roy, Ratnadwip Singha, M. S. Laad, A. Taraphder, P. Mandal
Abstract
Charge density wave (CDW) states in solids bear an intimate connection to underlying fermiology. Thus, modification of the latter by suitable perturbations provides an attractive handle to unearth CDW states. Here, we combine extensive magnetotransport experiments and first-principles correlated electronic structure calculations on nonmagnetic tritelluride ${\mathrm{LaTe}}_{3}$ to uncover phenomena rare in CDW systems: (i) a humplike feature in temperature dependence of resistivity at low temperatures under application of magnetic-field ($B$), which moves to higher temperatures with increasing $B$, (ii) highly anisotropic large transverse magnetoresistance (MR) upon rotation of $B$ about the current parallel to the crystallographic $c$ axis, (iii) anomalously large positive MR with spikelike peaks at characteristic angles when the angle between current and field is varied on the $bc$ plane, (iv) extreme sensitivity of the angular variation of MR on field and temperature. These observations find a comprehensive explication in theoretical picture that captures field-induced electronic structure modification in ${\mathrm{LaTe}}_{3}$.