Incommensurate Transverse Peierls Transition and Signature of Chiral Charge Density Wave in EuAl4

F. Z. Yang, K. F. Luo, Weizhe Zhang, Xiaoyu Guo, W. R. Meier, H. Ni, H. X. Li, P. Mercado Lozano, G. Fabbris, A. H. Said, C. Nelson, T. T. Zhang, A. F. May, M. A. McGuire, R. Juneja, L. Lindsay, H. N. Lee, J.-M. Zuo, M. F. Chi, X. Dai, Liuyan Zhao and H. Miao ()
Additional contact information
F. Z. Yang: Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Materials Science and Technology Division
K. F. Luo: The University of Texas at Austin, Department of Physics
Weizhe Zhang: University of Michigan, Department of Physics
Xiaoyu Guo: University of Michigan, Department of Physics
W. R. Meier: The University of Tennessee, Department of Physics and Astronomy
H. Ni: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Department of Materials Science and Engineering
H. X. Li: Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Materials Science and Technology Division
P. Mercado Lozano: Argonne National Laboratory, Advanced Photon Source
G. Fabbris: Argonne National Laboratory, Advanced Photon Source
A. H. Said: Argonne National Laboratory, Advanced Photon Source
C. Nelson: Brookhaven National Laboratory, National Synchrotron Light Source II
T. T. Zhang: Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Theoretical Physics
A. F. May: Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Materials Science and Technology Division
M. A. McGuire: Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Materials Science and Technology Division
R. Juneja: Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Materials Science and Technology Division
L. Lindsay: Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Materials Science and Technology Division
H. N. Lee: Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Materials Science and Technology Division
J.-M. Zuo: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Department of Materials Science and Engineering
M. F. Chi: Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences
X. Dai: Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Department of Physics
Liuyan Zhao: University of Michigan, Department of Physics
H. Miao: Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Materials Science and Technology Division

Nature Communications, 2025, vol. 16, issue 1, 1-7

Abstract: Abstract In one-dimensional quantum materials, electrons and lattices can undergo a Peierls transition, a translational symmetry-breaking instability traditionally understood through electron coupling to longitudinal acoustic phonons. Recently, this paradigm has been revised in topological semimetals, where transverse acoustic phonons couple to p-orbital electrons, giving rise to a transverse Peierls transition. Importantly, transverse Peierls transition-induced distortions can further break mirror or inversion symmetries, producing nematic or chiral charge density waves. Here, we report the experimental identification of an incommensurate transverse Peierls transition in EuAl4. Using meV-resolution inelastic x-ray scattering, we observe complete softening of a transverse acoustic phonon upon cooling, while the longitudinal acoustic mode remains unaffected. First-principles calculations reveal that the transverse Peierls transition wavevector coincides with a charge susceptibility peak connecting nested Dirac bands. Second harmonic generation confirms mirror symmetry breaking, supporting a chiral charge density wave stabilized by the transverse Peierls transition.

Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-65374-y

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