Universal conductance fluctuations in Dirac semimetal Cd3As2 nanowires

Three-dimensional Dirac semimetals host bulk Dirac fermions characterized by a linear dispersion relation in momentum space along all three dimensions. It has been theoretically predicted that the breaking of C-4 rotational crystalline symmetry in the Dirac semimetal Cd3As2 may give rise to the massive Dirac fermions. Here we report the phase-coherent transport in Cd3As2 nanowires studied by measuring the universal conductance fluctuations (UCFs). It is found that the UCF amplitude is largely suppressed at the Dirac point by sweeping the magnetic field at different gate voltages, which is ascribed to the breaking of the C-4 rotational symmetry-induced band-gap opening. The temperature dependence of resistance demonstrates a magnetic-field-induced metal-insulator transition, consisting of the band-gap opening. Moreover, the UCF amplitude is reduced by a factor of similar to 2 root 2 in the presence of a magnetic field, suggesting the phase transition from a Dirac-to-Weyl semimetal by breaking time-reversal symmetry.National Key Research and Development Program of China [2016YFA0300802, 2013CB934600, 2013CB932602]; National Natural Science Foundation of China [11274014, 11234001]SCI(E)ARTICLEliaozm@pku.edu.cn169