Determining the crystal-field ground state in rare earth Heavy Fermion materials using soft-x-ray absorption spectroscopy

We infer that soft-x-ray absorption spectroscopy is a versatile method for the determination of the crystal-field ground state symmetry of rare earth Heavy Fermion systems, complementing neutron scattering. Using realistic and universal parameters, we provide a theoretical mapping between the polarization dependence of Ce $M_{4,5}$ spectra and the charge distribution of the Ce $4f$ states. The experimental resolution can be orders of magnitude larger than the $4f$ crystal field splitting itself. To demonstrate the experimental feasibility of the method, we investigated CePd$_2$Si$_2$, thereby settling an existing disagreement about its crystal-field ground state

CeRu4_4Sn6_6: a strongly correlated material with nontrivial topology

Topological insulators form a novel state of matter that provides new opportunities to create unique quantum phenomena. While the materials used so far are based on semiconductors, recent theoretical studies predict that also strongly correlated systems can show non-trivial topological properties, thereby allowing even the emergence of surface phenomena that are not possible with topological band insulators. From a practical point of view, it is also expected that strong correlations will reduce the disturbing impact of defects or impurities, and at the same increase the Fermi velocities of the topological surface states. The challenge is now to discover such correlated materials. Here, using advanced x-ray spectroscopies in combination with band structure calculations, we infer that CeRu$_4$Sn$_6$ is a strongly correlated material with non-trivial topology.Comment: 10 pages, 6 figures, submitted to Scientific Report

Slow crossover in YbXCu4 intermediate valence compounds

We compare the results of measurements of the magnetic susceptibility Chi(T), the linear coefficient of specific heat Gamma(T)=C(T)/T and 4f occupation number nf(T) for the intermediate valence compounds YbXCu4 (X = Ag, Cd, In, Mg, Tl, Zn) to the predictions of the Anderson impurity model, calculated in the non-crossing approximation (NCA). The crossover from the low temperature Fermi liquid state to the high temperature local moment state is substantially slower in the compounds than predicted by the NCA; this corresponds to the ''protracted screening'' recently predicted for the Anderson Lattice. We present results for the dynamic susceptibility, measured through neutron scattering experiments, to show that the deviations between theory and experiment are not due to crystal field effects, and we present x-ray-absorption fine-structure (XAFS) results that show the local crystal structure around the X atoms is well ordered, so that the deviations probably do not arise from Kondo Disorder. The deviations may correlate with the background conduction electron density, as predicted for protracted screening.Comment: Submitted to Physical Review B on June 7, 2000, accepted for publication November 2, 2000. Changes to the original manuscript include: 1) a discussion of the relation of the slow crossover to the conduction electron density; 2) a discussion of the relation of the reported results to earlier photoemission results; and, 3) minor editorial change

Periodic Anderson model with degenerate orbitals: linearized dynamical mean field theory approach

We investigate a multi-orbital extension of the periodic Anderson model with particular emphasis on electron correlations including orbital fluctuations. By means of a linearized version of the dynamical mean-field theory, we compute the renormalization factor, the density of states, the spectral gap and the local correlation functions for a given set of the intra- and inter-orbital Coulomb interactions as well as the Hund coupling. It is found that when a certain condition is met for the intra- and inter-orbital interactions for $f$ electrons, orbital fluctuations are enhanced, thereby enlarging the Kondo insulating gap. This effect is suppressed in the presence of the Hund coupling. We also clarify how the Kondo insulator is continuously changed to the Mott insulator when electron correlations among conduction electrons are increased.Comment: 7 pages, 10 figure

Superconductivity in Ce- and U-based "122" heavy-fermion compounds

This review discusses the heavy-fermion superconductivity in Ce- and U-based compounds crystallizing in the body-centered tetragonal ThCr2Si2 structure. Special attention will be paid to the theoretical background of these systems which are located close to a magnetic instability.Comment: 12 pages, 9 figures. Invited topical review (special issue on "Recent Developments in Superconductivity") Metadata and references update

Theory of the first-order isostructural valence phase transitions in mixed valence compounds YbIn_{x}Ag_{1-x}Cu_{4}

For describing the first-order isostructural valence phase transition in mixed valence compounds we develop a new approach based on the lattice Anderson model. We take into account the Coulomb interaction between localized f and conduction band electrons and two mechanisms of electron-lattice coupling. One is related to the volume dependence of the hybridization. The other is related to local deformations produced by f- shell size fluctuations accompanying valence fluctuations. The large f -state degeneracy allows us to use the 1/N expansion method. Within the model we develop a mean-field theory for the first-order valence phase transition in YbInCu_{4}. It is shown that the Coulomb interaction enhances the exchange interaction between f and conduction band electron spins and is the driving force of the phase transition. A comparison between the theoretical calculations and experimental measurements of the valence change, susceptibility, specific heat, entropy, elastic constants and volume change in YbInCu_{4} and YbAgCu_{4} are presented, and a good quantitative agreement is found. On the basis of the model we describe the evolution from the first-order valence phase transition to the continuous transition into the heavy-fermion ground state in the series of compounds YbIn_{1-x}Ag_{x}Cu_{4}. The effect of pressure on physical properties of YbInCu_{4} is studied and the H-T phase diagram is found.Comment: 17 pages RevTeX, 9 Postscript figures, to be submitted to Phys.Rev.

Spin and charge dynamics of the ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic two-dimensional half-filled Kondo lattice model

We present a detailed numerical study of spin and charge dynamics of the two-dimensional Kondo lattice model with hopping t and exchange J. At T=0 and J > 0, the competition between the RKKY interaction and Kondo effect triggers a quantum phase transition between magnetically ordered and disordered insulators: J_c/t = 1.45(5). The quasiparticle gap scales as |J|. S(q,\omega), evolves smoothly from its strong coupling form with spin gap at q = (\pi,\pi) to a spin wave form. At J>0, A(\vec{k},\omega) shows a dispersion relation following that of hybridized bands. For J < J_c this feature is supplemented by shadows thus pointing to a coexistence of Kondo screening and magnetism. For J < 0 A(\vec{k},\omega) is similar to that of non-interacting electrons in a staggered magnetic field. Spin, T_S, and charge, T_C, scales are defined. For weak to intermediate couplings, T_S marks the onset of antiferromagnetic fluctuations and follows a J^2 law. At strong couplings T_S scales as J. T_C scales as J both at weak and strong couplings. At and slightly below T_C we observe i) a rise in the resistivity as a function of decreasing temperature, ii) a dip in the integrated density of states at the Fermi energy and iii) the occurrence of hybridized bands in A(k,\omega). It is shown that in the weak coupling limit, the charge gap of order J is of magnetic origin. The specific heat shows a two peak structure, the low temperature peak being of magnetic origin. Our results are compared to various mean-field theories.Comment: 30 pages, 24 figure

Effect of dietary changes on the bacteriophage population in the rumen of sheep

Item does not contain fulltext4th Symposium on Gut Microbiology, 21 juni 200

Valence Fluctuations Revealed by Magnetic Field Scan: Comparison with Experiments in YbXCu_4 (X=In, Ag, Cd) and CeYIn_5 (Y=Ir, Rh)

The mechanism of how critical end points of the first-order valence transitions (FOVT) are controlled by a magnetic field is discussed. We demonstrate that the critical temperature is suppressed to be a quantum critical point (QCP) by a magnetic field. This results explain the field dependence of the isostructural FOVT observed in Ce metal and YbInCu_4. Magnetic field scan can lead to reenter in a critical valence fluctuation region. Even in the intermediate-valence materials, the QCP is induced by applying a magnetic field, at which the magnetic susceptibility also diverges. The driving force of the field-induced QCP is shown to be a cooperative phenomenon of the Zeeman effect and the Kondo effect, which creates a distinct energy scale from the Kondo temperature. The key concept is that the closeness to the QCP of the FOVT is capital in understanding Ce- and Yb-based heavy fermions. It explains the peculiar magnetic and transport responses in CeYIn_5 (Y=Ir, Rh) and metamagnetic transition in YbXCu_4 for X=In as well as the sharp contrast between X=Ag and Cd.Comment: 14 pages, 9 figures, OPEN SELECT in J. Phys. Soc. Jp