arXiv subjects

O. Stockert

Publications and source records attributed to O. Stockert.

33 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2009

High-temperature signatures of quantum criticality in heavy fermion systems

We propose a new criterion for distinguishing the Hertz-Millis (HM) and the local quantum critical (LQC) mechanism in heavy fermion systems with a magnetic quantum phase transition (QPT). The criterion is based on our finding that the spin screening of Kondo ions can be completely suppressed by the RKKY coupling to the surrounding magnetic ions even without magnetic ordering and that, consequently, the signature of this suppression can be observed in spectroscopic measurements above the magnetic ordering temperature. We apply the criterion to high-resolution photoemission (UPS) measurements on CeCu$_{6-x}$Au$_{x}$ and conclude that the QPT in this system is dominated by the LQC scenario.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2009

Echo of the Quantum Phase Transition of CeCu$_{6-x}$Au$_x$ in XPS: Breakdown of Kondo Screening

We present an X-ray photoemission study of the heavy-fermion system CeCu$_{6-x}$Au$_x$ across the magnetic quantum phase transition of this compound at temperatures above the single-ion Kondo temperature $T_K$. In dependence of the Au concentration $x$ we observe a sudden change of the $f$-occupation number $n_f$ and the core-hole potential $U_{df}$ at the critical concentration $x_c=0.1$. We interpret these findings in the framework of the single-impurity Anderson model. Our results are in excellent agreement with findings from earlier UPS measurements %\cite{klein08qpt} and provide further information about the precursors of quantum criticality at elevated temperatures.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2008

Signature of quantum criticality in photoemission spectroscopy at elevated temperature

A quantum phase transition (QPT) in a heavy-fermion (HF) compound may destroy the Fermi liquid groundstate. However, the conditions for this breakdown have remained obscure. We report the first direct investigation of heavy quasiparticle formation and breakdown in the canonical system CeCu$_{6-x}$Au$_x$ by ultraviolet photoemission spectroscopy at elevated temperatures without the complications of lattice coherence. Surprisingly, the single-ion Kondo energy scale $T_K$ exhibits an abrupt step near the quantum critical Au concentration of $x_c=0.1$. We show theoretically that this step is expected from a highly non-linear renormalization of the local spin coupling at each Ce site, induced by spin fluctuations on neighboring sites. It provides a general high-temperature indicator for HF quasiparticle breakdown at a QPT.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2008

Direct observation of the superconducting gap in phonon spectra

We show that the superconducting energy gap $Δ$ can be directly observed in phonon spectra, as predicted by recent theories. In addition, since each phonon probes the gap on only a small part of the Fermi surface, the gap anisotropy can be studied in detail. Our neutron scattering investigation of the anisotropic conventional superconductor YNi$_2$B$_2$C demonstrates this new application of phonon spectroscopy.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2008

Columnar magnetic structure coupled with orthorhombic distortion in the antiferromagnetic iron arsenide SrFe$_2$As$_2$

Neutron powder diffraction experiments were carried out on polycrystalline SrFe$_2$As$_2$ in order to determine the magnetic structure and its relationship with the crystallographic one. Below $T_0$=205 K, magnetic reflections appear simultaneously with the onset of the orthorhombic distortion. From a detailed Rietveld analysis, the magnetic propagation vector of SrFe$_2$As$_2$ is determined to be {\textit{\textbf{q}}}=(1 0 1); the coupling of Fe moments is antiferromagnetic along the longer $a$ direction within the Fe-As layer, and the interlayer coupling is antiferromagnetic as well. The size of the Fe magnetic moment is deduced to be 1.01(3) $μ_{\rm B}$ with an orientation parallel to the a-axis. The temperature dependence of the magnetic moment shows excellent agreement with not only that of the muon precession frequency but also with that of the structural distortion, revealing the strong coupling of the columnar magnetic order and the structural distortion in SrFe$_2$As$_2$.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2007

Magnetic structure of Cd-doped CeCoIn5

The heavy fermion superconductor CeCoIn5 is believed to be close to a magnetic instability, but no static magnetic order has been found. Cadmium doping on the In-site shifts the balance between superconductivity and antiferromagnetism to the latter with an extended concentration range where both types of order coexist at low temperatures. We investigated the magnetic structure of nominally 10% Cd-doped CeCoIn5, being antiferromagnetically ordered below T_N=3 K and superconducting below T_c=1.3 K, by elastic neutron scattering. Magnetic intensity was observed only at the ordering wave vector Q_AF = (1/2,1/2,1/2) commensurate with the crystal lattice. Upon entering the superconducting state the magnetic intensity seems to change only little. The commensurate magnetic ordering in CeCo(In1-xCdx)5 is in contrast to the incommensurate antiferromagnetic ordering observed in the closely related compound CeRhIn5. Our results give new insights in the interplay between superconductivity and magnetism in the family of CeTIn5 (T=Co, Rh, and Ir) based compounds.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2007

High Resolution Photoemission Study on Low-T_K Ce Systems: Kondo Resonance, Crystal Field Structures, and their Temperature Dependence

We present a high-resolution photoemission study on the strongly correlated Ce-compounds CeCu_6, CeCu_2Si_2, CeRu_2Si_2, CeNi_2Ge_2, and CeSi_2. Using a normalization procedure based on a division by the Fermi-Dirac distribution we get access to the spectral density of states up to an energy of 5 k_BT above the Fermi energy E_F. Thus we can resolve the Kondo resonance and the crystal field (CF) fine-structure for different temperatures above and around the Kondo temperature T_K. The CF peaks are identified with multiple Kondo resonances within the multiorbital Anderson impurity model. Our theoretical 4f spectra, calculated from an extended non-crossing approximation (NCA), describe consistently the observed photoemission features and their temperature dependence. By fitting the NCA spectra to the experimental data and extrapolating the former to low temperatures, T_K can be extracted quantitatively. The resulting values for T_K and the crystal field energies are in excellent agreement with the results from bulk sensitive measurements, e.g. inelastic neutron scattering.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2006

Quantum criticality in the cubic heavy-fermion system CeIn_{3-x}Sn_x

We report a comprehensive study of CeIn$_{3-x}$Sn$_x$ $(0.55 \leq x \leq 0.8)$ single crystals close to the antiferromagnetic (AF) quantum critical point (QCP) at $x_c\approx 0.67$ by means of the low-temperature thermal expansion and Grüneisen parameter. This system represents the first example for a {\it cubic} heavy fermion (HF) in which $T_{\rm N}$ can be suppressed {\it continuously} down to T=0. A characteristic sign change of the Grüneisen parameter between the AF and paramagnetic state indicates the accumulation of entropy close to the QCP. The observed quantum critical behavior is compatible with the predictions of the itinerant theory for three-dimensional critical spinfluctuations. This has important implications for the role of the dimensionality in HF QCPs.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2004

Superconductivity in heavy fermion compounds

We review the current state of experimental and theoretical investigations of heavy fermion superconductors. We discuss most of the Ce-based compounds like Ce122, Ce115, Ce218 and Ce131 classes and U-based superconductors like UBe_13 and UPd_2Al_3. In the former the emphasis is on the connection to quantum critical phenomena and non-Fermi liquid behaviour. Recent neutron scattering and hydrostatic pressure results on SDW/SC competition in the Ce122 system are included. For the U-compounds we discuss the significance of dual models with both localised and itinerant 5f electrons for mass enhancement and superconducting pair formation. Itinerant spin fluctuation theories for unconventional superconductivity are also reviewed.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2000

Onset of antiferromagnetism in heavy fermion metals

There are two views of antiferromagnets. The first proceeds from atomic physics, which predicts that atoms with unpaired electrons develop magnetic moments. In a solid, the coupling between moments on nearby ions then yields antiferromagnetic order at low temperatures. The second, based on the physics of electron fluids or 'Fermi liquids', states that Coulomb interactions can drive the fluid to adopt a more stable configuration by developing a spin density wave. It is presently unknown which view is appropriate at a `quantum critical point', where the antiferromagnetic transition temperature vanishes. Here we describe an atomically local contribution to the magnetic correlations which develops in the metal CeCu$_{6-x}$Au$_{x}$ at the critical gold concentration ($x_c=0.1$) where the magnetic ordering temperature is tuned to zero. This contribution implies that a Fermi-liquid destroying spin-localizing transition, unanticipated for the spin density wave description, coincides with the antiferromagnetic quantum critical point.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2000

Pressure-induced residual resistivity anomaly in CeCu_5Au

The electrical resistivity of the magnetically ordered CeCu_5Au has been investigated under pressure up to 8.5 GPa. In the magnetically ordered region (p<3.4 GPa) the residual resistivity rho_0 shows a pronounced maximum as a function of pressure. Even in the nonmagnetic region rho_0 decreases monotonically by more than a factor of three. These two effects can be qualitatively explained in terms of the interplay of pressure, magnetism and disorder in a strongly correlated electron system with weak disorder.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv1999

From an antiferromagnet to a heavy-fermion system: CeCu5Au under pressure

The electrical resistivity rho(T) of single crystalline CeCu_5Au under pressure was measured in the temperature range 30mK<T<300K. Pressure suppresses the antiferromagnetic order (T_N=2.35K at ambient pressure) and drives the system into a non-magnetic heavy-fermion state above P_c=4.1(3)GPa. The electrical resistivity shows a deviation from a T^2 dependence of a Fermi-liquid in the pressure range 1.8GPa<=P<=5.15GPa. The rho(T)-curves can be compared with those of CeCu_{6-x}Au_x at different Au concentrations. Just before the long-range magnetic order vanishes, a possibly superconducting phase (at T_c=0.1K and P=3.84GPa) occurs, pointing to a coexistence of antiferromagnetic order and superconductivity. This new phase is only seen in a narrow pressure interval Delta P=0.4GPa.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv1998

Magnetic order and transport in the heavy-fermion system CeCu_{6-x}Au_x

We report on extensive elastic neutron scattering to determine the wave vector of the magnetic order in CeCu_{6-x}Au_x single crystals for x > 0.1. For all values of x investigated (0.2, 0.3, 0.5, 1.0) we find long-range incommensurate antiferromagnetic order with an ordering vector Q $\approx$ (0.625 0 0.275) for x=0.2, nearly unchanged for x=0.3, and Q $\approx$ (0.59 0 0) for x=0.5, staying roughly the same for x=1.0. In addition, short-range correlations are observed at x=0.2, reminiscent of those found previously for x=0.1. The ordered magnetic moment is found to increase rapidly for small x, and more slowly for the larger x values. The increase of the specific-heat anomaly at the ordering temperature with x is in qualitative accord with this behavior. Finally, data of the electrical resistivity for current flow along the three crystallographic directions are presented, showing a clear signature of the magnetic order. A theoretical interpretation of the interplay of magnetic order and transport in terms of (i) the partial suppression of the Kondo effect by the staggered magnetization and (ii) the anisotropic band structure induced by the staggered field is shown to account well for the data, provided the ordering vector Q is close to 2 k_F, where k_F is a typical Fermi momentum.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv1998

Two-dimensional fluctuations at the quantum-critical point of CeCu_{6-x}Au_x

The heavy-fermion system CeCu_{6-x}Au_x exhibits a quantum critical point at x_c = 0.1 separating nonmagnetic and magnetically ordered ground states. The pronounced non-Fermi-liquid behavior at x_c calls for a search for the relevant quantum critical fluctuations. Systematic measurements of the inelastic neutron scattering cross section S(q,omega) for x = 0.1 reveal rod-like features in the reciprocal ac plane translating to two-dimensional (2d) fluctuations in real space. We find 3d magnetic ordering peaks for x = 0.2 and 0.3 located on these rods which hence can be viewed as 2d precursors of the 3d order.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv1997

A mechanism for the non-Fermi-liquid behavior in CeCu_{6-x}Au_x

We propose an explanation for the recently observed non-Fermi-liquid behavior of metallic alloys CeCu_{6-x}Au_x: near x=0.1, the specific heat c is proportional to T \ln (T_0/T) and the resistivity increases linearly with temperature T over a wide range of T. These features follow from a model in which three-dimensional conduction electrons are coupled to two-dimensional critical ferromagnetic fluctuations near the quantum critical point, x_{c}=0.1. This picture is motivated by the neutron scattering data in the ordered phase (x=0.2) and is consistent with the observed phase diagram.

cond-mat.str-el↗