Flat bands and enigma of metamagnetic quantum critical regime in Sr3Ru2O7

Understanding the nature of field-tuned metamagnetic quantum criticality in the ruthenate Sr₃Ru₂O₇ has presented a significant challenge within condensed matter physics. It is known from experiments that the entropy within the ordered phase forms a peak, and is unexpectedly higher than that outside, while the magnetoresistivity experiences steep jumps near the ordered phase. We find a challenging connection between Sr₃Ru₂O₇ and heavy-fermion metals expressing universal physics that transcends microscopic details. Our construction of the T–B$T\text{–}B$ phase diagram of Sr₃Ru₂O₇ permits us to explain main features of the experimental one, and unambiguously implies an interpretation of its extraordinary low-temperature thermodynamic in terms of fermion condensation quantum phase transition leading to the formation of a flat band at the restricted range of magnetic fields B. We show that it is the flat band that generates both the entropy peak and the resistivity jumps at the QCPs.     

Interplay between unconventional superconductivity and heavy-fermion quantum criticality: CeCu2Si2 versus YbRh2Si2

In this paper the low-temperature properties of two isostructural canonical heavy-fermion compounds are contrasted with regards to the interplay between antiferromagnetic (AF) quantum criticality and superconductivity. For CeCu₂Si₂, fully-gapped d-wave superconductivity forms in the vicinity of an itinerant three-dimensional heavy-fermion spin-density-wave (SDW) quantum critical point (QCP). Inelastic neutron scattering results highlight that both quantum critical SDW fluctuations as well as Mott-type fluctuations of local magnetic moments contribute to the formation of Cooper pairs in CeCu₂Si₂. In YbRh₂Si₂, superconductivity appears to be suppressed at T???10?mK by AF order (T_N?=?70?mK). Ultra-low temperature measurements reveal a hybrid order between nuclear and 4f-electronic spins, which is dominated by the Yb-derived nuclear spins, to develop at T_A slightly above 2?mK. The hybrid order turns out to strongly compete with the primary 4f-electronic order and to push the material towards its QCP. Apparently, this paves the way for heavy-fermion superconductivity to form at T_c?=?2?mK. Like the pressure – induced QCP in CeRhIn₅, the magnetic field – induced one in YbRh₂Si₂ is of the local Kondo-destroying variety which corresponds to a Mott-type transition at zero temperature. Therefore, these materials form the link between the large family of about fifty low-T unconventional heavy – fermion superconductors and other families of unconventional superconductors with higher T_cs, notably the doped Mott insulators of the cuprates, organic charge-transfer salts and some of the Fe-based superconductors. Our study suggests that heavy-fermion superconductivity near an AF QCP is a robust phenomenon.     

Magnetotransport of the low-carrier density one-dimensional S=1/2 antiferromagnet Yb4As3

The transport properties of the semimetallic quasi-one-dimensional S=1/2 antiferromagnet Yb₄As₃ have been studied by performing low-temperature (T≥0.02 K) and high magneticfield (B≤60 T) measurements of the electrical resistivity ρ(T, B). For T ≿ 2 K a ‘heavy-fermion’-like behavior Δρ(T)=AT ² with huge and nearly field-independent coefficient A ≈ 3 μΩ cm/K² is observed, whereas at lower temperatures ρ(T) deviates from this behavior and slightly increases to the lowest T. In B>0 and T ≾ 6 K the resistivity shows an anomalous magnetic-history dependence together with an unusual relaxation behavior. In the isothermal resistivity Shubnikov-de Haas (SdH) oscillations, arising from a low-density system of mobile As-4p holes, with a frequency of 25 T have been recorded. From the T- and B-dependence of the SdH oscillations an effective carrier mass of (0.275±0.005)m ₀ and a charge-carrier mean-free path of 215 ? are determined. Furthermore, in B≥15 T, the system is near the quantum limit and spin-splitting effects are observed.     

Thermal conductivity of a moderate heavy-fermion compound YbIn0.2Ag0.8Cu4

The thermal conductivity κ and electrical resistivity ρ of a cast polycrystalline sample of YbIn_0.2Ag_0.8Cu₄, which belongs to the class of moderate heavy-fermion compounds, are measured in the temperature range 5–300 K. It is shown that the phonon thermal conductivity of the sample follows an amorphous-like pattern throughout the temperature range covered, which should be assigned to the presence of Yb ions with a homogeneous mixed valence in this compound. The temperature dependence ρ(T) is divided into three portions: a high-temperature portion characteristic of conventional metals, a medium-temperature portion typical of Kondo compounds, and a low-temperature portion corresponding to a coherent Kondo lattice (the heavy-fermion regime). The Kondo temperature is estimated.     

Influence of the low Mn intercalation on magnetic and electronic properties of 2H-TaS2 single crystals

The low-Mn-intercalated compounds 2H-Mn_xTaS₂ (x≤0.1) single crystals were successfully grown via the iodine chemical vapor transport technique; the electrical and magnetic properties have been investigated systematically. No signs of charge density wave and superconductivity transitions appear down to 2 K even when x=0.02, while a small resistivity upturn has been observed in the low-temperature region for Mn_xTaS₂ samples. A substantial magnetocrystalline anisotropy is observed and the Mn magnetic moments lie mainly parallel to the ab-plane. The glass behavior was observed in the low-temperature region firstly from the ac susceptibility measurement, the freezing of the glass may contribute to the upturn of the resistivity.     

Surface and bulk phenomena in the process of hydride formation in thin films of rare earth metals: Comparison between terbium and europium

Work function changes ΔΦ caused by H₂ interaction with thin terbium and europium films deposited on glass under UHV conditions were correlated with hydrogen uptake and electrical resistance R, measured in situ. For both metals, the course of ΔΦ(H/Me) at room temperature confirms the change in charge-transfer direction on the surface during hydride formation. As a result, the hydrogen adsorbate's nature is changed from positively polarized (precursor state) to negatively polarized adspecies. The hydrogen behavior is significantly different at low temperature due to the formation of the surface ordered low-temperature phase (α′) with positively polarized hydrogen adspecies. This phase, strongly inhibiting penetration of hydrogen into the bulk, is stable up to 100 K for terbium and 160 K for europium. Increasing temperature above these values resulted in additional large absorption of hydrogen. Moreover, differences in the course of R(H/Me) are clearly noticeable between the investigated metals. The resistance of thin TbH_x (x ∼ 3) films in our experiments did not exceed 1 kΩ, however transition of thin metallic europium film into EuH_y (y ∼ 2) increased the resistance up to 10 MΩ. This dissimilarity in electrical behavior can be explained by the coexistence of two factors which are different for the two metals in question: the phase relation of hydrides and the response of thin film to stress generated during hydride formation.     

Strongly correlated quantum spin liquid in herbertsmithite

Strongly correlated Fermi systems are among the most intriguing and fundamental systems in physics. We show that the herbertsmithite ZnCu₃(OH)₆Cl₂ can be regarded as a new type of strongly correlated electrical insulator that possesses properties of heavy-fermion metals with one exception: it resists the flow of electric charge. We demonstrate that herbertsmithite’s low-temperature properties are defined by a strongly correlated quantum spin liquid made with hypothetic particles such as fermionic spinons that carry spin 1/2 and no charge. Our calculations of its thermodynamic and relaxation properties are in good agreement with recent experimental facts and allow us to reveal their scaling behavior, which strongly resembles that observed in heavy-fermion metals. Analysis of the dynamic magnetic susceptibility of strongly correlated Fermi systems suggests that there exist at least two types of its scaling.     

Strongly correlated Fermi-systems: Non-Fermi liquid behavior, quasiparticle effective mass and their interplay

Basing on the density functional theory of fermion condensation, we analyze the non-Fermi liquid behavior of strongly correlated Fermi-systems such as heavy-fermion metals. When deriving equations for the effective mass of quasiparticles, we consider solids with a lattice and homogeneous systems. We show that the low-temperature thermodynamic and transport properties are formed by quasiparticles, while the dependence of the effective mass on temperature, number density, magnetic fields, etc., gives rise to the non-Fermi liquid behavior. Our theoretical study of the heat capacity, magnetization, energy scales, the longitudinal magnetoresistance and magnetic entropy are in good agreement with the remarkable recent facts collected on the heavy-fermion metal YbRh₂Si₂.     

Non-Fermi liquid behavior in polycrystalline Ce2PdIn8

We report on the formation of a novel ternary compound Ce₂PdIn₈ that is isostructural with the heavy-fermion superconductors Ce₂CoIn₈ and Ce₂RhIn₈. Its magnetic, electrical transport and thermodynamic properties were studied on polycrystalline samples in wide ranges of temperature and magnetic field strength. The results revealed Ce₂PdIn₈ to be a paramagnetic Kondo lattice with a coherence temperature of about 12 K. The C/T ratio of the specific heat reaches at 350 mK a strongly enhanced magnitude of about per Ce-atom, thus clearly indicating a heavy-fermion nature of this material. Moreover, a logarithmic divergence of C/T vs. T, observed below 3 K, which is accompanied by a linear temperature dependence of the electrical resistivity below 6 K, hint at a non-Fermi liquid character of the electronic ground state in the new compound reported.     

Quantum criticality in the cubic heavy-fermion system CeIn3-xSnx

We report a comprehensive study of CeIn3-xSnx (0.55相似文献   

Influence of hydrogen on structural and magnetic properties of the hexagonal Laves phase HoMn2

The HoMn₂ compound crystallizes in the cubic C15 or hexagonal C14 Laves phases depending on preparation. The effect of hydrogen absorption on structural and magnetic properties of HoMn₂H_x hydrides for the C14 phase has been investigated by XRD and AC/DC magnetometry in the temperature ranges of 75-380 K and 4-390 K, respectively. In addition to general features revealed by RMn₂H_x compounds (R=rare earth or Yttrium), unusual behavior of these hydrides was found. In particular, a transformation from the hexagonal to the monoclinic structure was detected, the same as that observed for cubic HoMn₂H_x compounds. The structural transformations are correlated to the magnetic behavior. The presented results are compared mainly with the properties of the cubic HoMn₂H_x hydrides as well as with those of other RMn₂H_x hydrides. Tentative magnetic and structural phase diagrams are proposed.     

Genesis of the anomalous Hall effect in CeAl<Subscript>2</Subscript>

The Hall coefficient R _H , resistivity ρ, and Seebeck coefficient S of the CeAl₂ compound with fast electron density fluctuations were studied in a wide temperature range (from 1.8 to 300 K). Detailed measurements of the angular dependences R _H (? T, H≤70 kOe) were performed to determine contributions to the anomalous Hall effect and study the behavior of the anomalous magnetic R _H ^am and main R _H ^a components of the Hall signal of this compound with strong electron correlation. The special features of the behavior of the anomalous magnetic component R _H ^am were used to analyze the complex magnetic phase diagram H-T determined by magnetic ordering in the presence of strong spin fluctuations. An analysis of changes in the main contribution R _H ^a (H, T) to the Hall effect made it possible to determine the complex activation behavior of this anomalous component in the CeAl₂ intermetallic compound. The results led us to conclude that taking into account spin-polaron effects was necessary and that the Kondo lattice and skew-scattering models were of very limited applicability as methods for describing the low-temperature transport of charge carriers in cerium-based intermetallic compounds. The effective masses and localization radii of manybody states in the CeAl₂ matrix were estimated to be (55–90)m₀ and 6–10 Å, respectively. The behaviors of the parameters R _H , S, and ρ were jointly analyzed. The results allowed us to consistently describe the transport coefficients of CeAl₂.     

Beats of quantum oscillations of the hall coefficient and resistivity in semiconductor alloys n-Bi0.93Sb0.07 at a small deviation of the magnetic field direction from the trigonal axis

Quantum oscillations of the resistivity ??₂₂ and Hall coefficient R _12.3 in the semiconductor alloy n-Bi_0.93Sb_0.07 have been studied at H ?? C ₃ and j ?? C ₁ in magnetic fields to 14 T and at temperatures of 1.5, 4.5, 10, and 20 K. At temperatures of 1.5 and 4.5 K, beats of quantum oscillations of ??₂₂ and R _12.3 due to a small deviation of the magnetic field H from the crystallographic C ₃ axis have been observed. To determine the oscillation period ?? _i , cyclotron mass m _ci , cyclotron frequency ?? _ci , and extreme section S _extri, experimentally measured quantum oscillation beats have been compared with the model beats of oscillations of three harmonic functions, two of which have close frequencies. The deviation of the parameters ?? _i , m _ci , and S _extri from the same parameters when the magnetic field H exactly coincides with the trigonal C ₃ axis has made it possible to estimate the magnetic field H deflection angle from the trigonal C ₃ axis, which is ??1°.     

Physical properties and anisotropies of the RNiGe3 series (R = Y, Ce-Nd, Sm, Gd-Lu)

We have studied RNiGe₃ (R=Y, Ce-Nd, Sm, Gd-Lu) single crystals by measuring crystal structure and stoichiometry, magnetic susceptibility, magnetization, electrical resistivity, magnetoresistance, and specific heat. Clear anisotropies as well as antiferromagnetic ordering in the RNiGe₃ series (R=Ce-Nd, Sm, Gd-Tm) have been observed above 1.8 K from the magnetic susceptibility. A metamagnetic transition in this family (except for R=Sm) was detected at 2 K for applied magnetic fields below 70 kOe. The electrical resistivity of this series follows metallic behavior in the high temperature region. Below the antiferromagnetic ordering temperature a significant anisotropy is exhibited in the resistivity and magnetoresistance for different current directions. The anisotropic magnetic, transport, and thermal properties of RNiGe₃ compounds are discussed in terms of Ni site occupancy as well as a combination of the effect of formation of a magnetic superzone gap and the crystalline electric field.     

Superconductivity of heavy fermions in a two-band model

Thermodynamic and electrodynamic properties of heavy-fermion superconductors are studied in a two-band model with interband (“hybrid”) singlet pairing. The general form of electron-electron interaction is analyzed and it is shown in particular that antiferromagnetic spin fluctuations increase the tendency to such a pairing. The expression for the free energy functional is obtained and the behaviour of the correlation length H_c2 and the London penetration depth at T = 0 and T→T_c is investigated. The model discussed gives reasonable qualitative agreement with the properties of heavy-fermion superconductors.     

Electrical instability of LiCu<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>2</Subscript> crystals

The temperature behavior of I-U curves and the field and temperature dependences of the electrical resistivity and dielectric permittivity of crystals of the LiCu₂O₂ phase have been studied. It was established that the crystals belong to p-type semiconductors and that their static resistivity in the range 80–260 K follows the Mott law ρ=Aexp(T₀/T)^1/4 describing variable-range hopping over localized states. At comparatively low electric fields, the crystals exhibit threshold switching and characteristic S-shaped I-U curves containing a region of negative differential resistivity. In the critical voltage region, jumps in the conductivity and dielectric permittivity are observed. Possible mechanisms of the disorder and electrical instability in these crystals are discussed.     

Resistivity and susceptibility near the QCP in disordered UCu5−xNix

The question of whether the temperature dependences of the magnetic susceptibility and the electrical resistivity of UCu_5−xNi_x near, and away from, the QCP where T_N is suppressed to T = 0 are due to intrinsic fluctuations or are dominated by disorder effects is addressed. The interesting ρ ∝ log T behavior below 2 K present for 0.75 ? x ? 1.1 is analyzed and discussed.     

The low temperature electrical properties of 1T-TaS2

Measurements of the electrical resistivity of 1T-TaS₂ to 0.03 K show that the increase in resistivity below ～ 50 K is extrinsic.Below 2 K the resistivity is described by ? = ?₀ exp $\text{T}{}_0\text{/T)}\text{1}\text{3}$. Because of this fractional power law behavior, we conclude that the increase is due to Anderson localization by random impurity and/or defect potentials. Other difficulties in understanding the properties of 1T-TaS₂ are also pointed out.     

Quantum magnets with large single-ion easy-plane anisotropy in magnetic field

We propose a theory describing low-temperature properties of magnets with integer spin and large single-ion easy-plane anisotropy D in magnetic field H directed parallel to the hard axis. Considering the exchange interaction between spins as a perturbation and using the bosonic spin representation proposed in our recent paper [1] we find thermal corrections to the elementary excitation spectrum, magnetization and specific heat in the vicinity of the quantum critical point (QCP) H = H _c1(0) ∼ D in the first nonvanishing orders of the perturbation theory. An expression is found for the boundary of the paramagnetic phase H _c1(T) in the H-T plane. The effective interaction between bosons is derived near the QCP. The proposed theory describes well experimental data obtained in NiCl₂-4SC(NH₂)₂ (DTN).