Chiral anomaly in noncentrosymmetric systems induced by spin-orbit coupling

Abstract

The chiral anomaly may be realized in condensed matter systems with pairs of Weyl points. Here we show that the chiral anomaly can be realized in diverse noncentrosymmetric systems even without Weyl point pairs when spin-orbit coupling (SOC) induces nonzero Berry curvature flux through Fermi surfaces (FS). This motivates the condensed matter chiral anomaly to be interpreted as a FS property rather than a Weyl point property. The SOC-induced anomaly reproduces the well-known charge transport properties of the chiral anomaly such as the negative longitudinal magnetoresistance and the planar Hall effect in Weyl semimetals. Since it is of SOC origin, it also affects the spin transport and gives rise to anomaly induced longitudinal spin currents and the magnetic spin Hall effect, which are absent in conventional Weyl semimetals.