Origin of giant magnetoresistance in layered nodal-line semimetal TaNiTe5 nanoflakes

Layered transition metal chalcogenides have stimulated wide research interest due to their many exotic physical properties. In this paper, we study the magnetotransport properties of the exfoliated nodal-line semimetal TaNiTe₅. A giant positive magnetoresistance (MR) is observed when the current is parallel to the crystallographic c axis, while it is strongly diminished when the current flows along the a axis. The observed giant MR is gradually suppressed either on reducing the thickness of the nanoflake or on increasing temperature. By performing MR measurement in tilted magnetic fields, the interlayer coupling is found to be weakened both by reducing the thickness and by increasing temperature. We propose a mechanism of electron-electron interaction assisted interlayer transport as an origin of the giant MR. The mechanism is likely to provide an explanation for giant MR in other layered materials.