Magnetic-field-tuned quantum criticality of the heavy-fermion system YbPtBi
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Abstract
In this paper, we present systematic measurements of the temperature and magnetic field dependencies of the thermodynamic and transport properties of the Yb-based heavy fermion YbPtBi for temperatures down to 0.02 K with magnetic fields up to 140 kOe to address the possible existence of a field-tuned quantum critical point. Measurements of magnetic-field- and temperature-dependent resistivity, specific heat, thermal expansion, Hall effect, and thermoelectric power indicate that the AFM order can be suppressed by an applied magnetic field of Hc∼4 kOe. In the H−T phase diagram of YbPtBi, three regimes of its low-temperature states emerge: (I) AFM state, characterized by a spin density wave-like feature, which can be suppressed to T=0 by the relatively small magnetic field of Hc∼4 kOe; (II) field-induced anomalous state in which the electrical resistivity follows Δρ(T)∝T1.5 between Hc and ∼8 kOe; and (III) Fermi liquid (FL) state in which Δρ(T)∝T2 for H≥8 kOe. Regions I and II are separated at T=0 by what appears to be a quantum critical point. Whereas region III appears to be a FL associated with the hybridized 4f states of Yb, region II may be a manifestation of a spin liquid state.
Comments
This article is published as Mun, E. D., Serguei L. Bud'ko, Catalin Martin, H. Kim, Makariy A. Tanatar, J-H. Park, T. Murphy, G. M. Schmiedeshoff, N. Dilley, R. Prozorov, and P. C. Canfield. "Magnetic-field-tuned quantum criticality of the heavy-fermion system YbPtBi." Physical Review B 87, no. 7 (2013): 075120. DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevB.87.075120. Posted with permission.