Fermiology of ZrTe with triply degenerate nodes and highly anisotropic magnetization

ZrTe was recently predicted to be a new type of three-dimensional topological semimetal (TSM) hosting triply degenerate point nodes close to Fermi energy. Here experimental results of magnetotransport and magnetization on single crystals of ZrTe are reported. The bulk electronic structure of the material is studied by quantum oscillations in both resistivity and magnetization, combined with first-principles calculations. ZrTe is a multiband system with both electron and hole charge carriers. Several small three-dimensional Fermi surfaces with light effective masses are observed. The magnetization at low temperature with field along the ${C}₃$ symmetry axis is paramagnetic and has a ${H}^0.5$ dependence at high field, in contrast to the diamagnetic response observed for in-plane magnetization. The compound provides a platform to explore exotic quantum phenomena related to the three-component fermionic quasiparticles distinct from other known TSMs.