arXiv · 1407.7797
Metallic Surface States Probed Within the Microwave Skin Depth of the Putative Topological Insulator YBiPt Compound
Abstract
Electron Spin Resonance (ESR) experiments of diluted Nd$^{3+}$ ions in the claimed topological insulator (TI) YBiPt are reported. Powdered samples with grain size from $\approx$ 100 $\mu$m to $\approx$ 2,000 $\mu$m were investigated. At low temperatures, 1.6 K $\lesssim$ \emph{T} $\lesssim$ 20 K, the X-band ($9.4$ GHz) ESR spectra show a \emph{g}-value of 2.66(4) and a Dysonian resonance lineshape which shows a remarkably unusual temperature, concentration, microwave power and particle size dependence. These results indicate that metallic and insulating behavior coexist within a skin depth of $\delta \approx$ 15 $\mu$m. Furthermore, the Nd$^{3+}$ spin dynamics in YBiPt are consistent with the existence of a \emph{phonon-bottleneck process} which allows the energy absorbed by the Nd$^{3+}$ ions at resonance to reach the thermal bath via the conduction electrons in the metallic surface states of YBiPt. These results are discussed in terms of the claimed topological semi-metal properties of YBiPt.
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G. G. Lesseux, T. M. Garitezi, P. F. S. Rosa, C. B. R. Jesus, R. R. Urbano, P. G. Pagliuso, S. B. Oseroff, J. L. Sarrao, Z. Fisk, C. Rettori. 2014-07-29. Metallic Surface States Probed Within the Microwave Skin Depth of the Putative Topological Insulator YBiPt Compound. https://doi.org/10.1088/0953-8984/28/12/125601
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