Electronic in-plane symmetry breaking at field-tuned quantum criticality in CeRhIn<sub>5</sub>

 · Invited

Abstract

At the heart of the heavy-fermion problem is the interaction between f-electrons and the itinerant electronic system. Their character may be best described in localized or itinerant pictures, depending on the Kondo- and RKKY-interactions. CeRhIn5 falls in the localized category, and antiferromagnetism appears at TN~3.8K. Applying pressure increases the hybridization, and thus magnetism is suppressed in favor of superconductivity. Magnetic fields are another important parameter tuning the 4f-waveform, and recently a peculiar transition at H*~28T into a new phase emerging in vicinity of field-tuned AFM quantum critical point at Hc~50T has been reported. We present new experimental evidence for a nematic character of this high-field phase. Electronic nematics are characterized by a lowered symmetry of the electronic system compared to the underlying lattice, in analogy to the directional alignment without translational order in nematic liquid crystals. Such phases appear in the copper- and iron-based high-temperature superconductors, and their role in establishing superconductivity remains an open question. In the nematic phase of CeRhIn5, a large in-plane resistivity anisotropy appears in the presence of a small in-plane field component. The anisotropy has little apparent connection to the lattice, rendering it a candidate for XY-nematicity. No anomalies are observed in the magnetic torque, suggesting the absence of metamagnetism. The appearance of nematic behavior in a prototypical heavy fermion superconductor highlights the interrelation of nematicity and unconventional superconductivity, suggesting nematicity to be common among correlated materials.

*Max-Planck-Society, Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft – MO 3077/1-1. Los Alamos National Laboratory: U.S. DoE, Office of Basic Energy Sciences, Division of Materials Sciences and Engineering. NHMFL: National Science Foundation Cooperative Agreement No. DMR-1157490, the state of Florida, and the U.S. DoE.

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Presenters

  • Philip Moll

    • Max Planck Institute for Chemical Physics of Solids
    • Max Planck Inst

Authors

  • Filip Ronning

    • MPA-CMMS, Los Alamos National Laboratory
    • Los Alamos Natl Lab
    • Los Alamos National Laboratory
    • Condensed Matter and Magnetic Science Group, Los Alamos National Laboratory
    • Condensed Matter and Magnet Science Group, Los Alamos National Laboratory

  • Toni Helm

    • Max Planck Institute for Chemical Physics of Solids
    • Max Planck Institute Dresden
    • MQM, Max Planck Inst CPFS

  • Kent Shirer

    • Max Planck Institute for Chemical Physics of Solids
    • MQM, Max Planck Inst CPFS

  • Maja Bachmann

    • Max Planck Institute for Chemical Physics of Solids

  • Luis Balicas

    • Natl High Magnetic Field Lab
    • Nat. High Magn. Field Lab., Florida State University
    • FSU-NHMFL
    • National High Magnetic Field Lab
    • National High Magnetic Field Laboratory
    • Natl. High Magnetic Field Lab, Florida State University
    • High Field Magnet Lab
    • 1800 E. Paul Dirac Drive, National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, Natl High Magnetic Field Lab

  • Mun Chan

    • National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, Los Alamos National Laboratory
    • Los Alamos National Laboratory
    • National High Magnetic Field Laboratory

  • Brad Ramshaw

    • Cornell University
    • Los Alamos National Labs
    • National High Magnetic Field Laboratory
    • Department of Physics, Cornell University
    • Laboratory of Atomic and Solid State Physics, Cornell University
    • Los Alamos National Laboratory
    • Laboratory for Atomic and Solid state Physics, Cornell University

  • Ross McDonald

    • Los Alamos National Laboratory
    • National High Magnetic Field Laboratory
    • Pulsed Field Facility, Los Alamos National Lab
    • Los Alamos Natl Lab
    • LANL/NHMFL
    • NHMFL-PFF, Los Alamos National Laboratory
    • National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, LANL

  • Fedor Balakirev

    • Los Alamos National Laboratory
    • Los Alamos National Lab NHMFL
    • National High Magnetic Field Laboratory
    • NHMFL-LANL
    • MS E536, National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, LANL

  • Marcelo Jaime

    • Los Alamos Natl Lab
    • National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, Los Alamos National Laboratory
    • Los Alamos National Laboratory
    • National High Magnetic Field Laboratory
    • NHMFL, LANL

  • Eric Bauer

    • MPA-CMMS, Los Alamos National Laboratory
    • Los Alamos National Laboratory
    • Los Alamos Natl Lab
    • Condensed Matter and Magnetic Science Group, Los Alamos National Laboratory
    • Los Alamos National Lab
    • Condensed Matter and Magnet Science Group, Los Alamos National Laboratory

  • Philip Moll

    • Max Planck Institute for Chemical Physics of Solids
    • Max Planck Inst