Anomalous Quantum Transport Properties in Semimetallic Black Phosphorus

Magnetoresistance in single crystals of black phosphorus is studied at ambient and hydrostatic pressures. In the semiconducting states at pressures below 0.71 GPa, the magnetoresistance shows periodic oscillations, which can be ascribed to the magneto-phonon resonance that is characteristic of high-mobility semiconductors. In the semimetallic state above 1.64 GPa, both transverse and longitudinal magnetoresistances show a considerable increase while exhibiting superposed Shubnikov-de Haas oscillations. The observed small Fermi surfaces, high mobilities, and light effective masses of carriers in semimetallic black phosphorus are comparable to those in the representative elemental semimetals of bismuth and graphite.