Tunable Topological Dirac Surface States and Van Hove Singularities in Kagome Metal GdV${_6}$Sn${_6}$

Abstract

Realizing and tuning novel electronic states is of great interest and importance to modern condensed-matter physics and spintronics applications. Transition-metal-based kagome materials are a rich frontier for the investigation of novel topological electronic states and correlated phenomena. The divergent density of states in the kagome lattice due to van Hove singularities (VHSs) in the vicinity of the Fermi level ($\textit{E\){_F}\(}$) also provide an ideal playground for the search of exotic correlated quantum states on a kagome lattice. However, in the idealized two-dimensional kagome lattice, topologically non-trivial Dirac surface states (TDSSs) have not been unambiguously observed, and the manipulation of TDSSs and VHSs remains largely unexplored. Here, combining angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy with density functional theory calculations, we clearly reveal TDSSs originating from a Z${_2}$ bulk topology for the first time in kagome lattices and identify two types of VHSs near $\textit{E\){_F}\(}$ in a newly discovered magnetic kagome material, GdV${_6}$Sn${_6}$. Remarkably, using $\textit{in situ}$ surface potassium deposition to elevate carrier density, we successfully realize manipulation of the TDSSs and VHSs. The Dirac point of the TDSSs can be tuned from above to below $\textit{E\){_F}\(}$, which reverses the chirality of the spin texture at the Fermi surface. These results not only establish GdV${_6}$Sn${_6}$ as a fascinating platform for studying the nontrivial band topology, magnetism and correlation effects native to kagome lattices, but also open up a new avenue for the potential application of spintronic devices based on kagome materials.