An investigation of non-superconducting PuPt2In7

ORAL

Abstract

PuPt$_2$In$_7$, like the heavy-fermion 115s, is member of a family of systems that are made up of RM$_3$ (R=Ce, Pu, ...; M=In, Ga, ...) building blocks. Superconductivity is observed in many of these materials, and it is understood to arise from an unconventional pairing mechanism due to antiferromagnetic spin fluctuations. Experiments discover that PuPt$_2$In$_7$, however, is an enhanced Pauli paramagnet with a Sommerfeld coefficient of $\sim$250 mJ/mol K$^2$. Here we present a DFT (Density Functional Theory) study of its electronic structure, with direct comparisons made to superconducting PuCoGa$_5$ and PuCoIn$_5$. Fermi surfaces, orbital decomposition of density of states, and band structures reveal many similarities between the two compounds. Our goal is to understand why we observe superconductivity in one but not the other.

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Authors

  • Hahnbidt Rhee

    • UC Davis, Dept of Physics

  • Warren Pickett

    • University of California Davis
    • UC Davis, Dept of Physics
    • University of California, Davis

  • Filip Ronning

    • Los Alamos National Laboratory
    • MPA-10, Los Alamos National Laboratory
    • Los Alamos National Lab, MPA-CMMS
    • Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545

  • Jian-Xin Zhu

    • Theoretical Division and Center for Nonlinear Studies, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, USA
    • Theoretical Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, USA
    • Los Alamos National Lab, Theoretical Division
    • Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545
    • Theoretical Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory
    • Theoretical Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545
    • Los Alamos National Laboratory

  • Eric Bauer

    • Los Alamos Natl. Lab., NM, USA
    • Los Alamos National Lab, MPA-CMMS
    • Los Alamos Nat. Lab.
    • MPA-CMMS, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545, USA
    • Los Alamos National Laboratory
    • Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545