Direct observation of nonequivalent Fermi-arc states of opposite surfaces in the noncentrosymmetric Weyl semimetal NbP

We have performed high-resolution angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES) on noncentrosymmetric Weyl semimetal candidate NbP, and determined the electronic states of both Nb- and P-terminated surfaces. We revealed a drastic difference in the Fermi-surface topology between two types of surfaces, whereas the Fermi arcs on both surfaces are likely terminated at the surface projection of the same bulk Weyl nodes. A comparison of the ARPES data with our first-principles band calculations suggests a notable difference in the electronic structure at the Nb-terminated surface between theory and experiment. The present result opens a platform for realizing exotic quantum phenomena arising from the unusual surface properties of Weyl semimetals.