Unusually high electron occupation of 3d state in a magnetic Weyl semimetal

The physical properties of magnetic topological materials are intricately linked to the interplay between their non-trivial band topology and magnetic structure. Here, we report our study of a ferromagnetic Weyl semimetal that exhibits a giant intrinsic anomalous Hall effect, using synchrotron-based x-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD), hard/soft x-ray photoemission spectroscopy (XPS), and x-ray photoelectron emission microscopy (XPEEM) techniques. We successfully imaged ferromagnetic domains of this material, which can be critical in addressing the discrepancies in the understanding of secondary magnetic phases. Comparison between surface and bulk sensitive XPS results indicates the valency of the magnetic element is close to zero. Surprisingly, we find an unusually high electron occupation of the 3d state per atom in this material. Our study highlights the crucial role of x-ray spectroscopy in achieving a thorough comprehension of element-specific electronic and magnetic characteristics of Weyl semimetals, advancing prospects for next-generation spintronic applications based on magnetic topological materials.