Abstract
Results of the transport properties of the YbNi1−xCuxAl (x = 0, 0.2, 0.5, 0.8 and 1.0) series of alloys are reported. The previous analysis of X-ray diffraction patterns indicates that all compounds crystallize in the hexagonal ZrNiAl structure with a linear behavior of the unit cell volume as a function of the Cu concentration (x). This is not found in the unit cell parameters, showing a discontinuity between x = 0.5 and 0.8. Such discontinuities affect the behavior of the electrical resistivity, in which the position of the minimum temperature changes from 95 K to 175 K, and a rise in the low temperature slope in the magnetic contribution (with -lnT dependence) from 21 μΩcm to 212 μΩcm is observed. In addition, the electronic coefficient of the specific heat increases almost twofold from 125 mJ/mol·K2 (x = 0.5) to 246 mJ/mol·K2 (x = 0.8). These changes are attributed to the variation of the distance between Yb and transition metals (Ni and Cu) along the series and the different electronic properties of the transition metals (Ni and Cu).
Highlights
YbNi1−x Cux Al Series of Alloys.The research on strongly correlated electron systems (SCES) occupies a relevant place within the areas of materials science research due to the rich phenomenology they present, connected directly to the understanding of the practical problem of mechanisms of hightemperature superconductivity [1]
The present study focuses on the chemical substitution effects when Cu replaces Ni in the YbNiAl compound and the change in physical properties in the evolution toward
The analysis of the X-ray diffraction data indicates an anomalous change in the unit cell parameters around x = 0.7, despite a common linear overall behavior of the unit cell volume
Summary
YbNi1−x Cux Al Series of Alloys.The research on strongly correlated electron systems (SCES) occupies a relevant place within the areas of materials science research due to the rich phenomenology they present, connected directly to the understanding of the practical problem of mechanisms of hightemperature superconductivity [1]. Yb-based compounds have received special attention because of the variety of ground states which include magnetic, intermediate valence, and heavy fermion behaviors [2]. The nature of this ground state is established through a competition between the Kondo effect which favors a nonmagnetic ground state and the indirect magnetic intersite interaction between 4f local moments via the conduction electrons (Ruderman–Kittel–Kasuya–Yosida (RKKY)) interaction [3]. Divalent Yb (nonmagnetic metal) under a pressure of 86 GPa becomes a superconductor before a stable trivalent (magnetic) state is reached, suggesting that magnetic instabilities may play a role in the appearance of superconductivity [4]
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