Extremely large magnetoresistance, anisotropic Hall effect, and Fermi surface topology in single-crystalline WSi2

We report on the observation of a nonsaturating, extremely large magnetoresistance (XMR) and the Fermi surface topology of a high quality WSi2 single crystal grown by the Czochralski method. The magnetoresistance at T=2K reaches a value ≈105% in 14 T magnetic field with no sign of saturation. The Hall resistivity data of WSi2 was found to be highly anisotropic. The analysis of magnetoconductivity data of WSi2 revealed a near compensation of charge carrier with relatively low carrier density as compared to that of a normal metal. The observed anisotropic Hall resistivity in WSi2 is due to the presence of multiple bands and Fermi pockets responsible for the transport phenomena in it. The extremely large carrier mobility and near compensation of charge carriers are responsible for the nonsaturating XMR behavior in WSi2 crystal. The band structure calculation and de Haas-van Alphen effect measurement depict a cylindrical Fermi surface from which the associated quantum parameters have been obtained. The magnetotransport data of WSi2 along both the crystallographic directions follows the universal temperature-field triangular phase diagram as observed in other materials exhibiting XMR behavior.