Crystalline Electric-Field Excitations in Quantum Spin Liquids Candidate $NaYbSe_{2}$
Zheng Zhang, Xiaoli Ma, Jianshu Li, Guohua Wang, D. T. Adroja, T. G. Perring, Weiwei Liu, Feng Jin, Jianting Ji, Yimeng Wang, Xiaoqun Wang, Jie Ma, Qingming Zhang
备注：
7 pages, 4 figures, supplementary material provided, error corrected in Figure 4
Very recently we revealed a large family of triangular lattice quantum spin liquid candidates named rare-earth chalcogenides, which features a high-symmetry structure without structural/charge disorders and spin impurities, and may serve as an ideal platform exploring spin liquid physics. The knowledge of crystalline electric-field (CEF) excitations is an essential step to explore the fundamental magnetism of rare-earth spin systems. Here we employed inelastic neutron scattering (INS) and Raman scattering (RS) to carry out a comprehensive CFE investigation on $NaYbSe_{2}$, a promising representative of the family. By comparison with its nonmagnetic compound $NaLuSe_{2}$, we are able to identify the CEF excitations at 15.8, 24.3 and 30.5 meV at 5K. The selected cuts of the INS spectra are well re-produced with a large anisotropy of $g$ factors ($g_{ab}:g_{c}\sim3:1$). Further, the CEF excitations are explained well by our calculations based on the point charge model. Interestingly, $NaYbSe_{2}$ exhibits an unusual CEF shift to higher energies with increasing temperatures, and the Raman mode close to the first CEF excitation shows an anomalously large softening with decreasing temperatures. The absence of the anomalies in $NaLuSe_{2}$ clearly demonstrates a CEF-phonon coupling not reported in the family. It can be understood in term of the weaker electronegativity of Se. The fact that the smallest first CEF excitation in the sub-family of $NaYbCh_{2}$ is $\sim$ 180K (Ch=O, S, Se), guarantees that the sub-family can be strictly described with an effective S=1/2 picture at sufficiently low temperatures. Interestingly the CEF-phonon coupling revealed here may present alternative possibilities to manipulate the spin systems.
Triangular lattice of rare-earth ions with interacting effective spin-$1/2$ local moments is an ideal platform to explore the physics of quantum spin liquids (QSLs) in the presence of strong spin-orbit coupling, crystal electric fields, and geometrical frustration. The Yb delafossites, NaYbCh$_2$ (Ch=O, S, Se) with Yb ions forming a perfect triangular lattice, have been suggested to be candidates for QSLs. Previous thermodynamics, nuclear magnetic resonance, and muon spin rotation measurements on NaYbCh$_2$ have supported the suggestion of the QSL ground states. The key signature of a QSL, the…
Anisotropic magnetism and spin fluctuations in the triangular-lattice spin-liquid candidate NaYbSe$_2$: a single-crystal $^{23}$Na and $^{77}$Se NMR study
Alkali metal rare-earth chalcogenide $ARECh2$ (A=alkali or monovalent metal, RE=rare earth, Ch=O, S, Se, Te), is a large family of quantum spin liquid (QSL) candidates we discovered recently. Unlike $YbMgGaO4$, most members in the family except for the oxide ones, have relatively small crystalline electric-field (CEF) excitation levels, particularly the first ones. This makes the conventional Curie-Weiss analysis at finite temperatures inapplicable and CEF excitations may play an essential role in understanding the low-energy spin physics. Here we considered an effective magnetic Hamiltonian i…
We investigate the half-filled two-orbital Hubbard model with the crystalline electric field using dynamical mean-field theory combined with the continuous-time quantum Monte Carlo simulations. We systematically study how the interplay of the intra- and interorbital Coulomb interations together with the Hund coupling realizes the diagonal and off-diagonal ordered states. It is found that the antiferroorbital ordered state is realized in the Hubbard model, in addition to the antiferromagnetically ordered and excitonic states. The competition between the antiferroorbital ordered and excitonic st…
The temperature $T$ and magnetic field $H$ dependencies of the electrical resistivity $ρ$ of the recently discovered heavy fermion superconductor \PrOsSb{} have features that are associated with the splitting of the Pr$^{3+}$ Hund's rule multiplet by the crystalline electric field (CEF). These features are apparently due to magnetic exchange and aspherical Coulomb scattering from the thermally populated CEF-split Pr$^{3+}$ energy levels. The $ρ(T)$ data in zero magnetic field can be described well by calculations based on CEF theory for various ratios of magnetic exchange and aspherical Coulom…
A new kind of phase transition is proposed for lattice fermion systems with simplified f^2 configurations at each site. The free energy of the model is computed in the mean-field approximation for both the itinerant state with the Kondo screening, and a localized state with the crystalline electric field (CEF) singlet at each site. The presence of a first-order phase transition is demonstrated in which the itinerant state changes into the localized state toward lower temperatures. In the half-filled case, the insulating state at high temperatures changes into a metallic state, in marked contra…
Our ultrasound results obtained in pulsed magnetic fields show that the filled-skutterudite compound SmOs$_4$Sb$_{12}$ has the $Γ_{67}$ quartet crystalline-electric-field ground state. This fact suggests that the multipolar degrees of freedom of the $Γ_{67}$ quartet play an important role in the unusual physical properties of this material. On the other hand, the elastic response below $\approx$ 20 T cannot be explained using the localized 4$f$-electron model, which does not take into account the Kondo effect or ferromagnetic ordering. The analysis result suggests the presence of a Kondo-like …
Using the numerical renormalization group method, we investigate an extended Anderson model, in which correlated electrons with the $Γ_1$(singlet)-$\Gamma4$(triplet) f$^2$ crystalline-electric-field (CEF) configuration hybridize with conduction electrons of $Γ_7$(doublet) and $Γ_8$ (quartet) under cubic $O_h$ symmetry, from a strong spin-orbit interaction limit. For the case of the parameters relevant to PrFe4P12, the system is under competition between the CEF singlet fixed point and the multichannel Kondo non-Fermi liquid fixed point arising from the quadrupolar coupling between the impurity…
Novel electronic order is found theoretically for a system where even number of localized electrons per site are coupled with conduction electrons. For precise quantitative study, a variant of the Kondo lattice model is taken with crystalline electric field (CEF) singlet and triplet states for each site. Using the dynamical mean-field theory combined with the continuous-time quantum Monte Carlo method, a staggered order with alternating Kondo and CEF singlets is identified for a case with one conduction electron per site being distributed in two conduction bands each of which is quarter-filled…
The effective mass probed by the de Haas-van Alphen oscillations is studied for a model Ce system under magnetic field higher than the Kondo energy. In the mean-field theory, the mass enhancement per Ce ion in the periodic system is identical with that in the dilute system. With decreasing magnetic field, the effective mass tends to diverge corresponding to a formation of the Kondo ground state. The effective mass can be very different between up and down spins depending on the nature of the 4f wave functions.
We investigate the temperature ($T$)-evolution of orbital anisotropy and its effect on spectral function and optical conductivity in Ce$_{2}$IrIn$_{8}$, using a first principles dynamical mean field theory combined with density functional theory. The orbital anisotropy develops by lowering $T$ and it is intensified below a temperature corresponding to the crystalline-electric field (CEF) splitting size. Interestingly, the depopulation of CEF excited states leaves a spectroscopic signature, "shoulder", in the $T$-dependent spectral function at the Fermi level. From the two-orbital Anderson impu…
We study a magnetic field effect on the Non-Fermi Liquid (NFL) which arises around the quantum critical point (QCP) due to the competition between the f^2-crystalline-electric-field singlet and the Kondo-Yosida singlet states by using the numerical renormalization ground method. We show the characteristic temperature T_F^*, corresponding to a peak of a specific heat, is not affected by the magnetic field up to H_z^* which is determined by the distance from the QCP or characteristic energy scales of each singlet states. As a result, in the vicinity of QCP, there are parameter regions where the …
We have measured crystalline electric field (CEF) excitations of Nd3+ ions in the two-channel Kondo lattice candidates NdT2Zn20 (T = Co, Rh, and Ir) by means of inelastic neutron scattering (INS). In the INS measurements at 5 K, dispersionless excitations were observed at 3.8 and 7.2 meV for T = Co, 3.1 and 5.8 meV for T = Rh, and 3.0 and 5.3 meV for T = Ir. Analyses of the temperature dependence of the INS spectra confirm that the CEF ground states are the Gamma 6 doublet, that is a requisite for manifestation of the magnetic two-channel Kondo effect. For T = Co, a shoulder was observed at 7.…
We discuss deformation of quasi 1-dimensional conductors with charge-density wave (CDW) under the electric field deforming the CDW. In case of ``strong'' CDW-lattice interaction the effect can be treated in terms of the converse piezoelectric effect with enormous piezomodulus, $\sim L_c/λ$ times larger than that in ionic crystals ($λ$ is the CDW wavelength, $L_c$ is the CDW coherence length, mm scale in the sliding state). The CDW-lattice interaction is likely to be defined by the interband charge transfer (rearrangement of the covalent bonds) with lattice deformation, possible in a number of …
We investigated electron phases in the $f^2$-configuration system with the $Γ_1$ crystalline-electric-field (CEF) ground state in cubic symmetry. An extended three-orbital periodic Anderson model, which consists of $j=5/2$ states, is evaluated by using the rotationally invariant slave boson formalism. As a result, we found three phases at zero temperature: the $Γ_1$ CEF singlet phase, and two kinds of Fermi liquid (FL). One of the FL arises owing to the presence of the $Γ_5$ CEF state, while the other forms a quasi-degenerated CEF state. All these phases are separated by first-order transition…
High-resolution hard X-ray photoemission measurements have been performed to clarify the electronic structure originating from the strong correlation between electrons in bulk Ce 3$d$ core-level spectra of CeNi$_{1-x}$Co$_x$Ge$_2$ (0 $\leq$ $x$ $\leq$ 1). In the Ce 3$d_{5/2}$ core-level spectra, the variation of satellite structures ($f^2$ peaks) shows that the hybridization strength between Ce 4$f$- and conduction electrons gradually increases with Co concentration in good agreement with the results of Ce 3$d-4f$ and 4$d-4f$ resonant photoemission spectroscopies. Particularly, in Ce 3$d_{3/2}…
The physical properties of single-crystalline SmBe$_{13}$ with a NaZn$_{13}$-type cubic structure have been studied by electrical resistivity ($ρ$), specific heat ($C$), and magnetization ($M$) measurements in magnetic fields of up to 9 T. The temperature ($T$) dependence of $ρ$ shows normal metallic behavior without showing the Kondo -ln$T$ behavior, suggesting the weak hybridization effect in this system. Analyses of the temperature dependence of $C$ suggest that the Sm ions of this compound are trivalent and that the crystalline-electric-field (CEF) ground state is a $Γ_8$ quartet with a fi…
The crystalline electric field (CEF) energy level scheme of the heavy fermion superconductor CeCoIn_5 has been determined by means of inelastic neutron scattering (INS). Peaks observed in the INS spectra at 8 meV and 27 meV with incident neutron energies between E_i=30-60 meV and at a temperature T = 10 K correspond to transitions from the ground state to the two excited states, respectively. The wavevector and temperature dependence of these peaks are consistent with CEF excitations. Fits of the data to a CEF model yield the CEF parameters B^0_2=-0.80 meV, B^0_4=0.059 meV, and |B^4_4|= 0.137 …
The filled skutterudite compound SmOs_{4}Sb_{12} was prepared in single crystal form and characterized. The SmOs_{4}Sb_{12} crystals have the LaFe_{4}P_{12}-type structure with lattice parameter a = 9.3085 Angstroms. Specific heat measurements indicate a large electronic specific heat coefficient of ~880 mJ/mol K^{2}, from which an enhanced effective mass m^{*} ~ 170 m_{e} is estimated. The specific heat data also suggest crystalline electric field (CEF) splitting of the Sm^{3+} J = 5/2 multiplet into a Gamma_{7} doublet ground state and a Gamma_{8} quartet excited state separated by 37 K. Ele…
CeRh$_6$Ge$_4$ is an unusual example of a stoichiometric heavy fermion ferromagnet, which can be cleanly tuned by hydrostatic pressure to a quantum critical point. In order to understand the origin of this anomalous behavior, we have characterized the magnetic ordering and crystalline electric field (CEF) scheme of this system. While magnetic Bragg peaks are not resolved in neutron powder diffraction, coherent oscillations are observed in zero-field $μ$SR below $T_{\rm C}$, which are consistent with in-plane ferromagnetic ordering consisting of reduced Ce moments. From analyzing the magnetic s…
The behavior of the resistivity of Ce-based heavy fermion systems is studied using a 1/$N$-expansion method a la Nagoya, where $N$ is the spin-orbital degeneracy of f-electrons. The 1/$N$-expansion is performed in terms of the auxiliary particles, and a strict requirement of the local constraints is fulfilled for each order of 1/N. The physical quantities can be calculated over the entire temperature range by solving the coupled Dyson equations for the Green functions self-consistently at each temperature. This 1/N-expansion method is known to provide asymptotically exact results for the behav…
Possible Kondo effect in Pr skutterudite is studied with attention to characteristic features of low-lying crystalline electric field (CEF) levels and the conduction band. A mechanism for the small CEF splitting between a singlet and a triplet is proposed as combination of the point-charge interaction and hybridization of 4f with ligand p states. Provided 4f^3 configurations dominate over 4f^1 as intermediate states, p-f hybridization favors the triplet, while point-charge interaction favors the singlet. For realistic parameters for hybridization as well as 4f^1 and 4f^3 levels, these singlet …
Odd-Parity Crystalline Electric Field and Multipoles in Icosahedral Quasicrystal and Approximant: Magnetic Toroidal and Electric Dipoles in Ce-Based Systems
Kyushu Institute of Technology（九州工业大学）；Yokohama National University（横滨国立大学）
The crystalline electric field (CEF) of Ce3+ in trigonal symmetry has recently become of some relevance, for instance, in the search of frustrated magnetic systems. Fortunately, it is one of the CEF case in which a manageable analytic solution can be obtained. Here, we present this solution for the general case, and use this result to determine the CEF scheme of the new compound CeIr3Ge7 with the help of T-dependent susceptibility and isothermal magnetization measurements. The resulting CEF parameters B20 = 34.4 K, B40 = 0.82 K and B43 = 67.3 K correspond to an exceptional large CEF splittings…
CeCd$_3$P$_3$ and CeCd$_3$As$_3$ compounds adopt the hexagonal ScAl$_3$C$_3$-type structure, where magnetic Ce ions on a triangular lattice order antiferromagnetically below $T_\text{N} \sim$0.42~K. Their crystalline electric field (CEF) level scheme has been determined by fitting magnetic susceptibility curves, magnetization isotherms, and Schottky anomalies in specific heat. The calculated results, incorporating the CEF excitation, Zeeman splitting, and molecular field, are in good agreement with the experimental data. The CEF model, with Ce$^{3+}$ ions in a trigonal symmetry, explains the s…
We have measured the electrical resistivity of a single strand of a ferromagnetic Ni nanowire of diameter 55 nm using a 4-probe method in the temperature range 3 K-300 K. The wire used is chemically pure and is a high quality oriented single crystalline sample in which the temperature independent residual resistivity is determined predominantly by surface scattering. Precise evaluation of the temperature dependent resistivity ($ρ$) allowed us to identify quantitatively the electron-phonon contribution (characterized by a Debye temperature $θ_R$) as well as the spin-wave contribution which is s…
This review article provides an overview of the physics of the two-channel Kondo impurity model as manifested in two-level systems in metals and certain actinide/lanthanide ions in metals. Basic models are presented, followed by a discussion of the multiplicative renormalization group, numerical renormalization group, non-crossing approximation, conformal field theory, abelian bosonization, and Bethe-ansatz approaches to the models. An extensive discussion of experiment is presented for both classes of models, with critical attention paid to the relevance of the models to the data. Finally, a …
Charge-transfer effect under odd-parity crystalline electric field (CEF) is analyzed theoretically. In quantum-critical metal $β$-YbAlB$_4$, seven-fold configuration of B atoms surrounding Yb atom breaks local inversion symmetry at the Yb site, giving rise to the odd-parity CEF. Analysis of the CEF on the basis of hybridization picture shows that admixture of 4f and 5d wave functions at Yb with pure imaginary coefficient occurs, which makes magnetic-toroidal (MT) and electric-dipole (ED) degrees of freedom active. By constructing the minimal model for periodic crystal $β$-YbAlB$_4$, we show th…
We investigate the magnetic field dependence of the physical properties of f^2-configuration systems with a crystalline-electric field (CEF) singlet ground state, which gives rise to a non- Fermi liquid (NFL) fixed point due to the competition between the Kondo-Yosida singlet and CEF singlet states. On the basis of the numerical renormalization group method, we find that the magnetic field breaks this NFL fixed point via two mechanisms: one causing the polarization of f-electrons and the other giving the "channel" anisotropy. These two mechanisms induce a difference in the magnetic field depen…
We have measured the crystalline electric field (CEF) excitations of the CeMIn5 (M = Co, Rh, Ir) series of heavy fermion superconductors by means of inelastic neutron scattering. Fits to a CEF model reproduce the inelastic neutron scattering spectra and the high temperature magnetic susceptibility. The CEF parameters, energy level splittings, and wavefunctions are tabulated for each member of the CeMIn5 series and compared to each other as well as to the results of previous measurements. Our results indicate that the CEF level splitting in all three materials is similar, and can be thought of …
The electrical and magnetic response to a bias current has been investigated in a singlecrystalline ferromagnetic manganese oxide $\Pr_{0.8}$Ca$_{0.2}$MnO$_3$ . A significant decrease of the magnetization is observed at the same threshold current where a non-linearity of V-I characteristics appears. Such a behavior cannot be understood in the framework of the filamentary picture usually invoked for the non linearity of the other manganese oxides. Instead, an analogy with spintronic features might be useful and experimental signatures seem to be in agreement with excitations of spin waves by an…
We propose an effective model on the basis of a $j$-$j$ coupling scheme to describe local $f$-electron states for realistic values of Coulomb interaction $U$ and spin-orbit coupling $λ$, for future development of microscopic theory of magnetism and superconductivity in $f^n$-electron systems, where $n$ is the number of local $f$ electrons. The effective model is systematically constructed by including the effect of a crystalline electric field (CEF) potential in the perturbation expansion in terms of $1/λ$. In this paper, we collect all the terms up to the first order of $1/λ$. Solving the eff…
We investigate the crystal structure, magnetic properties, and crystalline-electric field of tetragonal, $I4_1/amd$, NaCeO$_2$. In this compound, Ce$^{3+}$ ions form a tetragonally elongated diamond lattice coupled by antiferromagnetic interactions ($Θ_{CW} = -7.69$ K) that magnetically order below $T_N = 3.18$ K. The Ce$^{3+}$ $J = 5/2$ crystalline-electric field-split multiplet is studied via inelastic neutron scattering to parameterize a $J_{eff} = 1/2$ ground state doublet comprised of states possessing mixed $|m_z \rangle$ character. Neutron powder diffraction data reveal the onset of $A$…
We have synthesized a new intermetallic compound with a distorted Heusler structure, YbRh$_{2}$Pb. We present a study of the magnetic, thermal, and transport properties. Heat capacity measurements revealed that YbRh$_{2}$Pb orders magnetically below T$_{N}$=0.57 K from a paramagnetic state with substantial crystal electric field splitting. Magnetic field further splits the ground state, which leads to the suppression of magnetic order in YbRh$_{2}$Pb.
The thermal and electrical transport properties of single-crystalline LaBe$_{13}$ have been investigated by specific-heat ($C$) and electrical-resistivity ($ρ$) measurements. The specific-heat measurements in a wide temperature range revealed the presence of a hump anomaly near 40 K in the $C$($T$)/$T$ curve, indicating that LaBe$_{13}$ has a low-energy Einstein-like-phonon mode with a characteristic temperature of $\sim$ 177 K. In addition, a superconducting transition was observed in the $ρ$ measurements at the transition temperature of 0.53 K, which is higher than the value of 0.27 K report…
Time-of-flight neutron spectroscopy has been used to determine the crystalline electric field (CEF) Hamiltonian, eigenvalues and eigenvectors appropriate to the $J$ = 7/2 Yb$^{3+}$ ion in the candidate quantum spin ice pyrochlore magnet $\rm Yb_2Ti_2O_7$. The precise ground state (GS) of this exotic, geometrically-frustrated magnet is known to be sensitive to weak disorder associated with the growth of single crystals from the melt. Such materials display weak "stuffing" wherein a small proportion, $\approx$ 2\%, of the non-magnetic Ti$^{4+}$ sites are occupied by excess Yb$^{3+}$. We have car…
The aspect of the quasiparticle interaction of a local Fermi liquid, the impurity version of f$^2$-based heavy fermions, is studied by the Wilson numerical renormalization group method. In particular, the case of the f$^2$-singlet crystalline-electric-field ground state is investigated assuming the case of UPt$_3$ with the hexagonal symmetry. It is found that the interorbital interaction becomes larger than the intraorbital one in contrast to the case of the bare Coulomb interaction for the parameters relevant to UPt$_3$. This result offers us a basis to construct a microscopic theory of the s…
We have succeeded in synthesizing of single crystals of a new intermetallic compound, Ce$_{3}$Rh$_{4}$Pb$_{13}$. Magnetic susceptibility measurements indicate that the Ce moments are highly localized, despite the metallic character of the electrical resistivity. Heat capacity measurements reveal that the cubic crystal electric field lifts the six-fold degeneracy of the Ce$^{3+}$ ground state, with the quartet state separated by approximately 60 K from the doublet ground state. The magnetic field dependence of the heat capacity at low temperature indicates a further splitting of the doublet, bu…
Neutron scattering experiments have been performed to elucidate magnetic properties of the quasicrystal approximant Au$_{70}$Si$_{17}$Tb$_{13}$, consisting of icosahedral spin clusters in a body-centered-cubic lattice. Bulk magnetic measurements performed on the single crystalline sample unambiguously confirm long-range ordering at $T_{\rm C} = 11.6 \pm 1$ K. In contrast to the simple ferromagnetic response in the bulk measurements, single crystal neutron diffraction confirms a formation of intriguing non-collinear and non-coplanar magnetic order. The magnetic moment direction was found to be …
Resistivity measurements were performed on Pr$_{1-x}$La$_x$Os$_4$Sb$_{12}$ single crystals at temperatures down to 20 mK and in fields up to 18 T. The results for dilute-Pr samples ($x=0.3$ and 0.67) are consistent with model calculations performed assuming a singlet crystalline-electric-field (CEF) ground state. The residual resistivity of these crystals features a smeared step centered around 9 T, the predicted crossing field for the lowest CEF levels. The CEF contribution to the magnetoresistance has a weaker-than-calculated dependence on the field direction, suggesting that interactions om…
We have performed X-ray powder diffraction, magnetization, electrical resistivity, heat capacity and inelastic neutron scattering (INS) to investigate the physical properties of the intermetallic series of compounds CeCuBi$_{2-x}$Sb$_{x}$. These compounds crystallize in a tetragonal structure with space group $P4/nmm$ and present antiferromagnetic transition temperatures ranging from 3.6 K to 16 K. Remarkably, the magnetization easy axis changes along the series, which is closely related to the variations of the tetragonal crystalline electric field (CEF) parameters. This evolution was analyze…
Ca3Ru2O7 is a correlated and spin-orbit-coupled system with an extraordinary anisotropy. It is both interesting and unique largely because this material exhibits conflicting phenomena that are often utterly inconsistent with traditional precedents, particularly, the quantum oscillations in the nonmetallic state and colossal magnetoresistivity achieved by avoiding a fully spin-polarized state. This work focuses on the relationship between the lattice and transport properties along each crystalline axis and reveals that application of magnetic field, H, along different crystalline axes readily s…
We present a detailed study of R3Ni2-xSn7 (R = La, Ce, Pr and Nd) single crystals by measurements of crystal structure, stoichiometry, temperature dependent magnetic susceptibility, magnetization, electrical resistivity, magnetoresistance, and specific heat. This series forms with partial Ni occupancy with x varying from ~ 0.1 for R = La to ~0.7 for R = Nd. The electrical resistivity of this series follows metallic behavior at high temperatures. Determination of clear anisotropies as well as antiferromagnetic ordering temperatures for R3Ni2-xSn7 (R = Ce, Pr and Nd) have been made. For Pr3Ni1.5…
3$d$ based double perovskite materials have received much attention in recent years due to their exotic magnetic structure and magneto-electric coupling. In this work we have prepared and studied the nano-crystalline sample of Ho$_2$CoMnO$_6$. Structural, magnetic, Raman and dielectric properties have been studied in detail. The structural analysis shows that the sample crystallize in monoclanic crystal structure with $\textit{P2$_1$/n}$ phase group. The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy have been employed to confirms the charge state of cations presents in the material. Magnetic study shows th…
Specific heat $C(T)$ measurements were made on single crystals of the superconducting filled skutterudite series Pr(Os$_{1-x}$Ru$_x$)$_4$Sb$_{12}$ down to 0.6 K. Crystalline electric field fits in the normal state produced parameters which were in agreement with previous measurements. Bulk superconductivity was observed for all values of the Ru concentration $x$ with transition temperatures consistent with previous experiments, confirming a minimum in $T_{c}$ at $x=0.6$. The $C(T)$ data below $T_{c}$ appear to be more consistent with power law behavior for $x=0$ (PrOs$_4$Sb$_{12}$), and with e…
We use inelastic neutron scattering to study the crystalline electric field (CEF) excitations of Ce$^{3+}$ in CeFeAsO$_{1-x}$F$_{x}$($x=0,0.16$). For nonsuperconducting CeFeAsO, the Ce CEF levels have three magnetic doublets in the paramagnetic state, but these doublets split into six singlets when Fe ions order antiferromagnetically. For superconducting CeFeAsO$_{0.84}$F$_{0.16}$ ($T_c=41$ K), where the static AF order is suppressed, the Ce CEF levels have three magnetic doublets at $\hbarω=0,18.7,58.4$ meV at all temperatures. Careful measurements of the intrinsic linewidth $Γ$ and the peak …
A novel property of the quantum critical heavy fermion superconductor $β$-YbAlB$_4$ is revealed theoretically. By analyzing the crystalline electronic field (CEF) on the basis of the hybridization picture, odd parity CEF is shown to exist because of sevenfold configuration of B atoms around Yb, which breaks the local inversion symmetry. This allows onsite admixture of 4f and 5d wavefunctions with a pure imaginary coefficient, giving rise to the magnetic toroidal (MT) degree of freedom. By constructing a realistic minimal model for $β$-YbAlB$_4$, we show that onsite 4f-5d Coulomb repulsion driv…
We studied single-crystals of the antiferromagnetic compound UNi0.5Sb2 (TN ~ 161 K) by means of measurements of magnetic susceptibility (chi), specific heat (Cp), and electrical resistivity (rho) at ambient pressure, and resistivity under hydrostatic pressures up to 20 kbar, in the temperature range from 1.9 to 300 K. The thermal coefficient of the electrical resistivity (drho/dT) changes drastically from positive below TN to negative above, reflecting the loss of spin-disorder scattering in the ordered phase. Two small features in the rho vs T data centered near 40 and 85 K correlate well in …
Millimeter sized ThCr$_2$Si$_2$-type CeNi$_2$As$_2$ single crystal was synthesized by NaAs flux method and its physical properties were investigated by magnetization, transport and specific heat measurements. In contrast to the previously reported CaBe$_2$Ge$_2$-type CeNi$_2$As$_2$, the ThCr$_2$Si$_2$-type CeNi$_2$As$_2$ is a highly anisotropic uniaxial antiferromagnet with the transition temperature $T_N$=4.8 K. A field induced spin flop transition was seen below $T_N$ when the applied $\textbf{B}$ is parallel to the $\textbf{c}$-axis, the magnetic easy axis, together with a huge frustration …
The temperature dependence of the electrical resistivity of the heterostructures consisting of single crystalline LaMnO$_3$ samples with different crystallographic orientations covered by the epitaxial ferroelectric Ba$_{0.8}$Sr$_{0.2}$TiO$_3$ film has been studied. Results obtained for the heterostructure have been compared with the electrical resistivity of the single crystalline LaMnO$_3$ without the film. It was found that for the samples with the films where the polarization axis is perpendicular to the crystal surface the electrical resistivity strongly decreases, and at the temperature …
Condensed matter physics of gauge theories coupled to fermions can exhibit a rich phase structure, but are nevertheless very difficult to study in Monte Carlo simulations when they are afflicted by a sign problem. As an alternate approach, we use tensor network methods to explore the finite density physics of Abelian gauge theories without dynamical matter. As a concrete example, we consider the U(1) gauge invariant quantum link ladder with spin-1/2 gauge fields in an external electric field which cause the winding electric fluxes to condense in the ground state. We demonstrate how the electri…
Single crystal of CeMg$_{12}$ is obtained by Bridgman method. CeMg$_{12}$ crystallizes in the tetragonal structure with space group $I4/mmm$ (#139). The Laue pattern confirms the tetragonal crystal structure of CeMg$_{12}$. We have studied the magnetic properties by measuring magnetic susceptibility, magnetization, heat capacity and electrical transport. Specific heat measurement shows that the compound orders at 1.2 K. We have measured the magnetic susceptibility in the temperature range 1.8 to 300 K, and the susceptibility data show that [100] crystallographic direction is the easy axis of m…
We apply moderate-high-energy inelastic neutron scattering (INS) measurements to investigate Yb$^{3+}$ crystalline electric field (CEF) levels in the triangular spin-liquid candidate YbMgGaO$_4$. Three CEF excitations from the ground-state Kramers doublet are centered at the energies $\hbar ω$ = 39, 61, and 97\,meV in agreement with the effective \mbox{spin-1/2} $g$-factors and experimental heat capacity, but reveal sizable broadening. We argue that this broadening originates from the site mixing between Mg$^{2+}$ and Ga$^{3+}$ giving rise to a distribution of Yb--O distances and orientations …
X-ray powder diffraction, magnetic susceptibility $χ(T)$, and electrical resistivity $ρ(T)$ measurements were made on single crystals of the filled skutterudite series Pr(Os$_{1-x}$Ru$_x$)$_4$Sb$_{12}$. One end of the series ($x = 0$) is a heavy fermion superconductor with a superconducting critical temperature $T_{c} = 1.85$ K, while the other end ($x = 1$) is a conventional superconductor with $T_{c} \approx 1$ K. The lattice constant $a$ decreases approximately linearly with increasing Ru concentration $x$. As Ru (Os) is substituted for Os (Ru), $T_{c}$ decreases nearly linearly with substi…
Single-crystalline CeRh3Si2 was investigated by means of x-ray diffraction, magnetic susceptibility, magnetization, electrical resistivity, and specific heat measurements carried out in wide temperature and magnetic field ranges. Moreover, the electronic structure of the compound was studied at room temperature by cerium core-level x-ray photoemission spectroscopy (XPS). The physical properties were analyzed in terms of crystalline electric field and compared with results of ab-initio band structure calculations performed within the density functional theory approach. The compound was found to…
