Direct observation of the spin–orbit coupling effect in magnetic Weyl semimetal Co3Sn2S2.

The spin–orbit coupling (SOC) lifts the band degeneracy that plays a vital role in the search for different topological states, such as topological insulators (TIs) and topological semimetals (TSMs). In TSMs, the SOC can partially gap a degenerate nodal line, leading to the formation of Dirac/Weyl semimetals (DSMs/WSMs). However, such SOC-induced gap structure along the nodal line in TSMs has not yet been systematically investigated experimentally. Here, we report a direct observation of such gap structure in a magnetic WSM Co₃Sn₂S₂ using high-resolution angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy. Our results not only reveal the existence and importance of the strong SOC effect in the formation of the WSM phase in Co₃Sn₂S₂, but also provide insights for the understanding of its exotic physical properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]