Distinct topological Hall responses in CeCu₂-type EuZn₂ and EuCd₂ films

Rare earth intermetallic compounds crystallized in AlB$_2$-type and its low-symmetry derivative CeCu$_2$-type structures potentially host diverse frustrated magnetic structures and rich magnetotransport phenomena. We report the film growth of CeCu$_2$-type EuZn$_2$ by molecular beam epitaxy and the observation of topological Hall responses highly contrastive to isostructural EuCd$_2$. While their magnetization curves are rather similar, the topological Hall effect observed in EuZn$_2$ is simpler, with the only one component enhanced at the magnetic transition field. EuZn$_2$ may be a unique system for studying the magnetic domain boundary effect on topological Hall responses among the CeCu$_2$-type rare-earth intermetallic compounds.