Magnetic-field tuning of the low-temperature state ofYbNiSi3

Abstract

We present detailed data from low-temperature magnetization, magnetoresistance, and specific heat measurements on single-crystal $\mathrm{Yb}\mathrm{Ni}{\mathrm{Si}}_{3}$ with the magnetic field applied along the easy magnetic axis, $H\ensuremath{\Vert}b$. An initially antiferromagnetic ground state changes into a field-stabilized metamagnetic phase at $\ensuremath{\sim}16\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{kOe}$ $(T\ensuremath{\rightarrow}0)$. On further increase of the magnetic field, magnetic order is suppressed at $\ensuremath{\sim}85\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{kOe}$. No non-Fermi-liquid-like power law was observed in the resistivity in the vicinity of the critical field for $T\ensuremath{\geqslant}0.4\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{K}$. Heat capacity measurements suggest that the applied magnetic field splits the nearly degenerate crystal-electric-field levels that form the zero-field ground state of $\mathrm{Yb}\mathrm{Ni}{\mathrm{Si}}_{3}$. The functional behaviors of the resistivity and specific heat are discussed in comparison with those of the few other stoichiometric heavy fermion compounds with established field-induced quantum critical points.