UnconventionalT−HPhase Diagram in the Noncentrosymmetric CompoundYb2Fe12P7

R E Baumbach,L Shu,P.-C Ho,J J Hamlin,J R O’Brien,D A Zocco,M B Maple

doi:10.1103/physrevlett.105.106403

R E Baumbach, L Shu + Show 5 more

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https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevlett.105.106403

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Abstract

The temperature-(T-)magnetic-field (H) phase diagram for the noncentrosymmetric compound Yb(2)Fe(12)P(7), [corrected] determined from electrical resistivity (ρ), specific heat (C), and magnetization (M) measurements on single crystal specimens, is reported. This system exhibits a crossover from a magnetically ordered non-Fermi-liquid (NFL) phase at low H to another NFL phase at higher H. The crossover occurs near the value of H where the magnetic ordering temperature (T(M)) is no longer observable in C(T,H)/T and ρ(T,H), but not where T(M) extrapolates smoothly to T=0 K at a possible quantum critical point (QCP). This indicates the occurrence of a quantum phase transition between the two NFL phases. The lack of a clear relationship between the extrapolated QCP and NFL behavior suggests an unconventional route to the NFL ground states.

Highlights

The study of correlated electron physics has revealed deviations from Fermi liquid (FL) behavior in many d- and f-electron compounds based on elements with unstable valences [1,2]
The quantum critical point (QCP) model has been widely applied to situations where a second order phase transition, usually antiferromagnetic, is suppressed to T 1⁄4 0 K by a control parameter () such as chemical composition (x), pressure (P), or magnetic field (H), terminating in a QCP at T 1⁄4 0 K
We report measurements on single crystals of the ternary compound Yb2Fe12P7, in which the Yb ions undergo magnetic ordering which is accompanied by an unconventional magnetic field tuned quantum ground state

Summary

Introduction

The study of correlated electron physics has revealed deviations from Fermi liquid (FL) behavior in many d- and f-electron compounds based on elements with unstable valences [1,2]. Non-Fermi-liquid (NFL) behavior is occasionally observed in the normal state properties of some materials, i.e., electrical resistivity ðTÞ $ Tn (n < 2), specific heat CðTÞ=T $ À lnT or TÀn (n < 1), magnetic susceptibility ðTÞ $ À lnT or TÀn (n < 1), and dynamical susceptibility 00ðTÞ 1⁄4 fð!=TÞ

Results

Conclusion