Wiedemann–Franz behavior at the Weyl points in compressively strained HgTe

Abstract

Abstract Weyl semimetals, with their unique electronic band structure, have drawn significant interest for their potential to explore quantum anomalies in condensed matter systems. In this study, we investigate the large positive magneto-thermal conductance associated with the gravitational anomaly – one of the predicted anomalies – for a Weyl semimetal based on a compressively strained HgTe layer. We clearly identify the Weyl regime in our device and accurately extract the thermal conductance by performing thermometry measurements at liquid helium temperatures using fully electronic methods. We observe the anticipated increase in thermal conductance, and it perfectly matches the electrical conductance according to the Wiedemann–Franz law. This finding indicates that, despite the unique electronic spectrum of Weyl semimetals, the mechanism governing heat transport in this system is the same as that for electrical transport, with no additional violations of conservation laws.