Pressure and magnetic field tuned quantum critical point in the Kondo antiferromagnetCePtZn

Abstract

We report magnetization, heat capacity and electrical resistivity measurementson CePtZn, which crystallizes in the orthorhombic TiNiSi type structure.Magnetization and electrical resistivity on the iso-structural series of compoundsCe1−xLaxPtZn (x = 0.1,0.2 0.5 and 1) were also carried out. The electrical resistivity of CePtZn was alsomeasured in external magnetic fields up to 12 T and under pressures up to 2.66 GPa.We find that CePtZn is a dense Kondo lattice, ordering antiferromagnetically atTN = 1.7 K, with a comparable Kondo temperature. The magnetic transition temperature,TN, is continuously suppressed both by the magnetic field and pressure and around 5–6 T and at 1.2 GPa, respectively. Non-Fermi liquid behavior ofresistivity at 4 T and 1.2 GPa and logarithmic divergence of the heat capacity,C4f/T, at 6 T in a limited temperature region strongly suggest the emergence of a quantumcritical point as .