Tunability of the topological nodal-line semimetal phase in ZrSiX-type materials

The discovery of a topological nodal-line (TNL) semimetal phase in ZrSiS has invigorated the study of other members of this family. Here, we present a comparative electronic structure study of ZrSiX (where X = S, Se, Te) using angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES) and first-principles calculations. Our ARPES studies show that the overall electronic structure of ZrSiX materials comprises of the diamond-shaped Fermi pocket, the nearly elliptical-shaped Fermi pocket, and a small electron pocket encircling the zone center ($Γ$) point, the M point, and the X point of the Brillouin zone, respectively. We also observe a small Fermi surface pocket along the M-$Γ$-M direction in ZrSiTe, which is absent in both ZrSiS and ZrSiSe. Furthermore, our theoretical studies show a transition from nodal-line to nodeless gapped phase by tuning the chalcogenide from S to Te in these material systems. Our findings provide direct evidence for the tunability of the TNL phase in ZrSiX material systems by adjusting the spin-orbit coupling (SOC) strength via the X anion.