Non-Fermi liquid behavior and signature of Griffiths phase in Ni–Cr binary alloy

Abstract

Detailed magnetic, electrical, and thermal property measurements have been carried out on Ni100−xCrx binary alloys, mainly to study the effect of Cr. The following points emerge from this study: with the increase in Cr concentration, magnetic moment and Curie temperature linearly decreased and the ferromagnetic order is completely suppressed at the critical concentration (xcr ≈ 12.16 ± 0.03). The Rhodes–Wohlfarth ratio increases as the concentration approaches xcr, suggesting a weak itinerant ferromagnetic character of NiCr compositions (x < xcr). Analysis of low-temperature electrical resistivity and specific heat data suggests that the spin fluctuation’s contribution increases and the Fermi-liquid behavior breaks down as the concentration approaches xcr. For x ∼ xcr, the dc susceptibility χ(T) deviates from the Curie–Weiss law reminiscent to that of the Griffiths phase. The low-temperature magnetic isotherms of Ni–Cr follow power law, M(H)=M0+dλHλ, and the non-universal exponent (λ) shows a minimum at xcr ∼ 12. Further, temperature dependence of magnetization studies also support the presence of the quantum Griffiths phase, similar to that reported in the Ni–V alloy system. The temperature dependencies of the electrical resistivity, magnetization, and specific heat follow the theoretical predictions of a quantum critical point within experimental uncertainties.