Resolution of the Discrepancy between the Variation of the Physical Properties of Ce₁₋ₓYbₓCoIn₅ Single Crystals and Thin Films with Yb Composition

Author

S. Jang
B. D. White
I. K. Lum
Hyunsoo Kim, Missouri University of Science and TechnologyFollow
M. A. Tanatar
W. E. Straszheim
R. Prozorov
T. Keiber
F. Bridges
For full list of authors, see publisher's website.

Abstract

Extraordinary electronic phenomena including an Yb valence transition, a change in Fermi surface topology, and suppression of the heavy fermion quantum critical field at a nominal concentration x ≈ 0.2 have been found in the Ce_1-xYb_xCoIn₅ system. These phenomena have no discernable effect on the unconventional superconductivity and normal-state non-Fermi liquid behaviour that occur over a broad range of x up to ~0.8. However, the variation of the coherence temperature T* and the superconducting critical temperature T_c with nominal Yb concentration x for bulk single crystals is much weaker than that of thin films. To determine whether differences in the actual Yb concentration of bulk single crystals and thin film samples might be responsible for these discrepancies, we employed Vegard's law and the spectroscopically determined values of the valences of Ce and Yb as a function of x to determine the actual composition x_act of bulk single crystals. This analysis is supported by energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, wavelength-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and transmission X-ray absorption edge spectroscopy measurements. The actual composition x_act is found to be about one-third of the nominal concentration x up to x ~ 0.5, and resolves the discrepancy between the variation of the physical properties of Ce_1-xYb_x CoIn₅ single crystals and thin films with Yb concentration.

Recommended Citation

S. Jang and B. D. White and I. K. Lum and H. Kim and M. A. Tanatar and W. E. Straszheim and R. Prozorov and T. Keiber and F. Bridges and For full list of authors, see publisher's website., "Resolution of the Discrepancy between the Variation of the Physical Properties of Ce₁₋ₓYbₓCoIn₅ Single Crystals and Thin Films with Yb Composition," Philosophical Magazine, vol. 94, no. 36, pp. 4219 - 4231, Taylor & Francis, Dec 2014.

The definitive version is available at https://doi.org/10.1080/14786435.2014.976287

Department(s)

Physics

Comments

National Science Foundation, Grant 1005568

Keywords and Phrases

Chemical Substitution; Energy-Dispersive X-Ray Spectroscopy; Heavy Fermion Behaviour; Intermediate Valence; Kondo Lattice; Transmission X-Ray Absorption Edge Spectroscopy; Unconventional Superconductivity; Valence Transition; Vegard's Law; Wavelength-Dispersive X-Ray Spectroscopy

International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)

1478-6443; 1478-6435

Document Type

Article - Journal

Document Version

Citation

File Type

text

Language(s)

English

Rights

© 2014 Taylor & Francis, All rights reserved.

Publication Date

22 Dec 2014