Crystal Growth, Transport, and Magnetic Properties of Antiferromagnetic Semimetal Ni3In2Se2 Crystals

The shandite compounds (chemical formula M(3)A(2)B(2)) with a kagome structure have recently attracted significant interest due to their novel quantum topological states, such as the ferromagnetic Weyl semimetal in Co3Sn2S2, and endless Dirac nodal lines in Ni3In2S2. In this study, we successfully grew Ni3In2Se2 crystal, a sister compound of Ni3In2S2, and investigated its possible topological state and physical properties. Temperature-dependent resistivity measurements of Ni3In2Se2 demonstrate metallic behavior, which can be accurately described by the Bloch-Gruneisen model. This suggests that electron-phonon scattering dominates the electrical transport in Ni3In2Se2, which is also supported by Kohler's rule analysis. The Hall resistivity characterizations reveal the coexistence of both electrons and holes in Ni3In2Se2. Meanwhile, systematic analysis of the de Haas-van Alphen oscillation suggests that there are three Fermi pockets in Ni3In2Se2, and extracted Berry phases are null. Combining first-principles calculation and experimental analysis, we propose that Ni3In2Se2 is a multiband and topologically trivial semimetal. The evolution from Dirac nodal lines in Ni3In2S2 to trivial topology in Ni3In2Se2 may be attributed to the significantly enhanced spin-orbit coupling (SOC) in Ni3In2Se2. The SOC effect also leads to a small-angle canting along the c axis of antiferromagnetically aligned spins in the ab plane. Our work provides valuable insights into the quantum states of shandite compounds with a kagome structure.