Crystal-field excitations and magnetic fluctuations of heavy-fermion metal CeB<sub>6</sub>

ORAL

Abstract

CeB6 enters an antiferro-quadrupolar (AFQ) phase below TAFQ=3.2K, in which the T2g-symmetry quadrupoles order at a finite wave vector [Rep. Prog. Phys. 79, 066502 (2016)]. With its cubic lattice structure and 4f1 Ce3+ electronic configuration, this compound is considered a prototypical example of heavy-fermion metal with quadrupolar ordering. We study the crystal-field (CF) excitations and magnetic fluctuations at Ce3+ sites by Raman scattering [Phys. Rev. Materials 3, 065003 (2019)]. The spectral linewidth of the CF transitions increases on cooling below 80K, at which the electric resistivity shows its maximum. This coincidence points to the relationship between the broadening of linewidth and Kondo physics. For quasi-elastic fluctuations, the temperature dependence of the static Raman susceptibility in the magnetic channel is consistent with the previously-reported magnetic susceptibility data. Such behavior implies that above TAFQ, the tendency towards AFQ ordering induces ferromagnetic correlations which manifest as long-wavelength magnetic fluctuations.

*M.Y., H.-H.K. and G.B. was supported by NSF DMR-1709161. Sample synthesis at Los Alamos was performed under the auspices of DOE, Office of Basic Energy Sciences, Division of Materials Science and Engineering.

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Presenters

  • Mai Ye

    • Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rutgers University
    • Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rutgers University-New Brunswick

Authors

  • Mai Ye

    • Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rutgers University
    • Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rutgers University-New Brunswick

  • Hsiang-Hsi Kung

    • Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of British Columbia
    • University of British Columbia

  • Priscila Rosa

    • Los Alamos National Laboratory
    • Los Alamos Natl Lab
    • Los Alamos National Laboratory, USA

  • Eric Bauer

    • Los Alamos National Laboratory
    • Los Alamos Natl Lab
    • Condensed Matter and Magnet Science Group, Los Alamos National Laboratory
    • Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos

  • Zachary Fisk

    • Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California Irvine
    • Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Irvine
    • Dept. of Physics and Astronomy, University of California Irvine
    • University of California, Irvine, USA
    • Department of Physics and Astronomy,, University of California-Irvine

  • Girsh Blumberg

    • Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rutgers University
    • Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rutgers University-New Brunswick