Search NASA⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “Heavy fermions”

Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 19 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2024

Two-dimensional heavy fermions in the van der Waals metal CeSiI

Heavy-fermion metals are prototype systems for observing emergent quantum phases driven by electronic interactions. A long-standing aspiration is the dimensional reduction of these materials to exert control over their quantum phases, which remains a significant challenge because traditional intermetallic heavy-fermion compounds have three-dimensional atomic and electronic structures. Here we report comprehensive thermodynamic and spectroscopic evidence of an antiferromagnetically ordered heavy-fermion ground state in CeSiI, an intermetallic comprising two-dimensional (2D) metallic sheets held together by weak interlayer van der Waals (vdW) interactions. Owing to its vdW nature, CeSiI has a quasi-2D electronic structure, and we can control its physical dimension through exfoliation. The emergence of coherent hybridization of f and conduction electrons at low temperature is supported by the temperature evolution of angle-resolved photoemission and scanning tunnelling spectra near the Fermi level and by heat capacity measurements. Electrical transport measurements on few-layer fakes reveal heavy-fermion behaviour and magnetic order down to the ultra-thin regime. Importantly, our work establishes CeSiI and related materials as a unique platform for studying dimensionally confined heavy fermions in bulk crystals and employing 2D device fabrication techniques and vdW heterostructures to manipulate the interplay between Kondo screening, magnetic order and proximity effects.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
NASA NTRS1995

Heavy fermion behavior explained by bosons

Conventional heavy fermion (HF) theories require existence of massive fermions. We show that heavy fermion phenomena can also be simply explained by existence of bosons with moderate mass but temperature dependent concentration below the formation temperature T(sub B), which in turn is close to room temperature. The bosons B(++) are proposed to be in chemical equilibrium with a system of holes h(+): B(++) = h(+) + h(+). This equilibrium is governed by a boson breaking function f(T), which determines the decreasing boson density and the increasing fermion density with increasing temperature. Since HF-compounds are hybridized from minimum two elements, we assume in addition existence of another fermion component h(sub s)(+) with temperature independent density. This spectator component is thought to be the main agent in binding the bosons in analogy with electronic or muonic molecules. Using a linear boson breaking function we can explain temperature dependence of the giant linear specific heat coefficient gamma(T) coming essentially from bosons. The maxima in resistivity, Hall coefficient, and susceptibility are explained by boson localization effects due to the Wigner crystallization. The antiferromagnetic transitions in turn are explained by similar localization of the pairing fermion system when their density n(sub h)(T(sub FL)) becomes lower than n(sub WC), the critical density of Wigner crystallization. The model applies irrespective whether a compound is superconducting or not. The same model explains the occurrence of low temperature antiferromagnetism also in high-T(sub c) superconductors. The double transition in UPt3 is proposed to be due to the transition of the pairing fermion liquid from spin polarized to unpolarized state.

Kallio, A.↗
DOE OSTI2024

Topological heavy fermions in magnetic field

The recently introduced topological heavy fermion model (THFM) provides a means for interpreting the low-energy electronic degrees of freedom of the magic angle twisted bilayer graphene as hybridization amidst highly dispersing topological conduction and weakly dispersing localized heavy fermions. In order to understand the Landau quantization of the ensuing electronic spectrum, a generalization of THFM to include the magnetic field B is desired, but currently missing. Here we provide a systematic derivation of the THFM in B and solve the resulting model to obtain the interacting Hofstadter spectra for single particle charged excitations. While naive minimal substitution within THFM fails to correctly account for the total number of magnetic subbands within the narrow band i.e., its total Chern number, our method—based on projecting the light and heavy fermions onto the irreducible representations of the magnetic translation group— reproduces the correct total Chern number. Analytical results presented here offer an intuitive understanding of the nature of the (strongly interacting) Hofstadter bands.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2023

Antiferromagnet to ferromagnet crossover driven by nonmagnetic Co doping in heavy-fermion YbRh 3 Si 7

YbRh 3 ⁢Si 7 is a heavy fermion compound that stands out among Yb-based heavy fermions, with its relatively high magnetic ordering temperature and large Yb-Yb distance. To investigate the origin of the magnetic properties in this compound, we synthesized Co doped YbRh 3⁢ Si 7 , achieving a record-high ferromagnetic ordering temperature T C =15.6K, only limited by the Co solubility of 20%. Furthermore, we find a crossover from antiferromagnetic to ferromagnetic order with Co doping. Additionally, the specific heat and magnetotransport measurements show heavy fermion behavior and the persistence of Kondo latticelike behavior in the Yb⁢(Rh 1-x Co x ) 3⁢ Si 7 series.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2023

Controlling crystal-electric field levels through symmetry-breaking uniaxial pressure in a cubic super heavy fermion

Abstract YbPtBi is one of the heavy-fermion systems with largest Sommerfeld coefficient γ and is thus classified as a ‘super’-heavy fermion material. In this work, we resolve the long-debated question about the hierarchy of relevant energy scales, such as crystal-electric field (CEF) levels, Kondo and magnetic ordering temperature, in YbPtBi. Through measurements of the a.c. elastocaloric effect and generic symmetry arguments, we identify an elastic level splitting that is unambiguously associated with the symmetry-allowed splitting of a quartet CEF level. This quartet, which we identify to be the first excited state at Δ/ k B ≈ 1.6 K above the doublet ground state at ambient pressure, is well below the proposed Kondo temperature T K ≈ 10 K. Consequently, this analysis of the energy scheme can provide support models that predict that the heavy electron mass is a result of an enhanced degeneracy of the CEF ground state, i.e., a quasi-sextet in YbPtBi. At the same time, our study shows the potential of the a.c. elastocaloric effect to control and quantify strain-induced changes of the CEF schemes, opening a different route to disentangle the CEF energy scales from other relevant energy scales in correlated quantum materials.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2025

Nodal hybridization in a two-dimensional heavy-fermion material

Metals with partially filled core atomic shells can form quasiparticles at a low temperature arising from the hybridization of the core level and conduction electrons. The thermodynamic and spectroscopic properties of these metals can be understood as those of a simple metal, but with a significant mass enhancement over the free electron mass—commonly referred to as heavy fermions. In most heavy-fermion materials, the hybridization is approximately isotropic in position and momentum space. However, a combination of low dimensionality and symmetry properties of the core-level wavefunctions can give rise to highly anisotropic electronic interactions with the conduction electrons. Here, in this study, we demonstrate anisotropic hybridization that vanishes along specific directions in momentum space—referred to as nodes—in a lanthanide-based two-dimensional van der Waals heavy-fermion compound, CeSiI. Quasiparticle interference measurements reveal a set of discrete hotspots with high spectral intensity on the Fermi surface. Theoretical modelling and comparison with the quasiparticle interference pattern of the non-heavy-fermion isostructural analogue LaSiI suggest that these features arise from an unconventional electron interaction involving hybridization nodes unique to CeSiI. As a result, the effective mass of the quasiparticles varies by orders of magnitude depending on their direction in momentum space.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2023

Magic-angle twisted symmetric trilayer graphene as a topological heavy-fermion problem

Recently, Song and Bernevig [Phys. Rev. Lett. 129, 047601 (2022)] reformulated magic-angle twisted bilayer graphene as a topological heavy fermion problem, and used this reformulation to provide a deeper understanding for the correlated phases at integer fillings. Here, in this work, we generalize this heavy-fermion paradigm to magic-angle twisted symmetric trilayer graphene, and propose a low-energy f–c–d model that reformulates magic-angle twisted symmetric trilayer graphene as heavy localized f modes coupled to itinerant topological semimetalic c modes and itinerant Dirac d modes. Our f–c–d model well reproduces the single-particle band structure of magic-angle twisted symmetric trilayer graphene at low energies for displacement field $\mathcal{E}$ ϵ [0,300]⁢ meV. By performing Hartree-Fock calculations with the f–c–d model for v = 0,–1,–2 electrons per Moiré unit cell, we reproduce all the correlated ground states obtained from the previous numerical Hartree-Fock calculations with the Bistritzer-MacDonald-type model, and we find additional new correlated ground states at high displacement field. Based on the numerical results, we propose a simple rule for the ground states at high displacement fields by using the f–c–d model, and provide analytical derivation for the rule at charge neutrality. We also provide analytical symmetry arguments for the (nearly) degenerate energies of the high-$\mathcal{E}$ ground states at all the integer fillings of interest, and make experimental predictions of which charge-neutral states are stabilized in magnetic fields. Our f–c–d model provides a new perspective for understanding the correlated phenomena in magic-angle twisted symmetric trilayer graphene, suggesting that the heavy fermion paradigm of Song and Bernevig [Phys. Rev. Lett. 129, 047601 (2022)] should be the generic underpinning of correlated physics in multilayer moire graphene structures.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2024

Energy loss of a heavy fermion in a collisional QED plasma

We compute the energy loss of heavy fermions moving in a plasma, taking into account the modification of the photon collective modes induced by collisions using a Bhatnagar-Gross–Krook collisional kernel. We include contributions from both hard and soft scatterings of the heavy fermion using a collisionally modified hard-thermal-loop resummed propagator. Using this method, one does not need to introduce a separation scale between hard- and soft-momentum exchanges. To place our calculation in context, we review other theoretical approaches to computing the collisional energy loss of fermions and discuss the systematics and results obtained in each approach compared to using a resummed propagator for both hard and soft momentum exchanges. Our final results indicate that self-consistently including the effect of collisions in the self-energies of the resummed propagator results in an increased energy loss compared to using collisionless hard-thermal-loop propagators. The effect becomes larger as the magnitude of the coupling constant and the velocity of the fermion increase. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

Astronomy & Astrophysics↗
DOE OSTI2025

Low-energy electrodynamics and a hidden Fermi liquid in the heavy-fermion compound CeCoIn 5

We present time-domain THz spectroscopy of thin films of the heavy-fermion superconductor CeCoIn 5 . Below the ≈40 K Kondo coherence temperature, a narrow Drude-like peak forms, as a result of the 𝑓-orbital–conduction-electron hybridization and the formation of the heavy-fermion state. The complex optical conductivity is analyzed through a Drude model and extended Drude model analysis. Via the extended Drude model analysis, we measure the frequency-dependent scattering rate (1/𝜏) and effective mass (𝑚*/𝑚 𝑏 ). This scattering rate shows a linear dependence on temperature, which matches the dependence of the resistivity as expected. Nevertheless, the width of the low-frequency Drude peak itself that is set by the renormalized quasiparticle scattering rate (1/𝜏*=𝑚 𝑏 /𝑚*⁢𝜏) shows a 𝑇 2 dependence. This is the scattering rate that characterizes the relaxation time of the renormalized quasiparticles. In conclusion, this gives evidence for a Fermi liquid state, which in conventional transport experiments is hidden by the strong temperature dependent mass.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2026

Coexisting kagome and heavy fermion flat bands in YbCr 6 Ge 6

Flat bands, electronic states with nearly dispersionless energy-momentum structure, provide fertile ground for unconventional quantum phases. Recent observations of flat bands at the Fermi level in kagome metals open the possibility of unifying topology and correlation-driven heavy-fermion physics. Here we show that topology and heavy-fermion correlations coexist in the layered kagome metal YbCr 6 Ge 6 . At high temperatures, an intrinsic kagome flat band—arising from frustrated hopping on the kagome lattice—dominates the Fermi level. Upon cooling, localized Yb 4f-states hybridize with the topological kagome flat bands, transforming this state into momentum-independent Kondo resonance states across the entire Brillouin zone. Topological analysis of the hybridization gaps reveals filling-tunable weak and strong topological Kondo-insulating regimes, and identifies a topological Dirac–Kondo semimetal. Taken together, these results identify YbCr 6 Ge 6 as a prototype of a topological heavy-fermion system and a platform where geometric frustration, strong correlations, and topology converge, with broad implications for correlated quantum matter.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2024

Transition between Heavy-Fermion-Strange-Metal and Quantum Spin Liquid in a $4⁢d$-Electron Trimer Lattice

We present experimental evidence that a heavy Fermi surface consisting of itinerant, charge-neutral spinons underpins both heavy-fermion-strange-metal (without f electrons) and quantum-spin-liquid states in the 4d-electron trimer lattice, Ba 4 Nb 1-x Ru 3+x O 12 (|x| < 0.20). These two exotic states both exhibit an extraordinarily large entropy, a linear heat capacity extending into the milli-Kelvin regime, a linear thermal conductivity at low temperatures, and separation of charges and spins. Furthermore, the insulating spin liquid is a much better thermal conductor than the heavy-fermion-strange-metal that separately is observed to strongly violate the Wiedemann- Franz law. Here, we propose that at the heart of this 4d system is a universal, heavy spinon Fermi surface that provides a unified framework for explaining the exotic phenomena observed throughout the entire series. The control of such exotic ground states provided by variable Nb concentration offers a new paradigm for studies of correlated quantum matter.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2024

Excess heat capacity in magnetically ordered Ce heavy-fermion metals

Herein we study the magnetic heat capacity of a series of magnetically ordered Ce-based heavy-fermion materials, which show an anomalous T 3 heat capacity in excess of the phonon contribution in many materials. For compounds for which magnon models have been worked out, we show that the local-moment magnon heat capacity derived from the measured magnon spectra underestimates the experimental specific heat. The excess heat capacity reveals increasing density of states with increasing energy, akin to a pseudogap. We show that this anomalous temperature-dependent term is not associated with proximity to a quantum critical point, but is strongly correlated with T N , indicating the anomalous excitations are governed by the magnetic exchange interaction. This insight may hold key information for understanding magnetically ordered heavy fermions.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2026

Flat-band driven Kondo breakdown and reentrant effects in heavy-fermion moiré superlattices

Moiré superlattices (MSLs) in van der Waals heterostructures have demonstrated their incredible power in driving emergent electronic phenomena, some of which are reminiscent of those usually only observed in bulk strongly correlated quantum materials. With the recent discovery of van der Waals 𝑓-electron materials, the design of novel MSLs of intrinsic strong correlation is now within the reach. Here we study the novel electron phases of two-dimensional heavy-fermion MSL with increasingly diluted 𝑓-electron local moments. By applying dynamical mean-field theory with numerical renormalization group as an impurity solver, we demonstrate the appearance of a different energy scale and a reentrant Kondo breakdown in connection with the emergence of a flat band in the system. We further compare our numerical findings with predictions derived from the Lieb-Mattis theorem and show the necessity of this energy scale to consistently reconcile the predictions with the conventional single-impurity limit for exceedingly large unit cells.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2024

X-ray spectroscopic investigation of crystal fields in Ce 2 Rh 1 − x Ir x In 8 heavy fermions

The higher dimensionality in the crystal fields of the Ce 2 M In 8 ( M = Rh , Ir ) compounds and its interplay with hybridization and disorder are key ingredients to understand the complex phase diagrams by this family, which have been explored extensively by macroscopic techniques. Here, we present an investigation of the crystal-electric field schemes of Ce 2 Rh 1 − x Ir x In 8 using x-ray absorption spectroscopy. Our full multiplet calculations for the 4 f 1 configuration of Ce 3 + to describe the temperature-dependent linear dichroism in Ce 2 M In 8 are consistent with a Γ 7 1 = 1 − α 2 · | ∓ 3 2 〉 − | α | · | ± 5 2 〉 ground state containing a predominant | ± 3 / 2 〉 contribution that increases further with x . This enhancement is believed to favor superconductivity in Ce-based heavy fermion materials, observed in previous results in the Ce M In 5 family. Our recent observations shed light on the unexpected emergence of the ambient-pressure superconducting dome in the center of the composition phase diagram and its subsequent suppression on the Ir-rich side due to the early onset of fluctuations associated with the structurally more disordered state, inferred from previous neutron magnetic diffraction experiments. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

Christovam, D. S. (ORCID:0000000250698107)↗
DOE OSTI2025

Emergence of heavy-fermion behavior and distorted square nets in partially vacancy-ordered Y 4 Fe x Ge 8 (1.0 ≤ x ≤ 1.5)

Disorders in intermetallic systems belonging to the CeNiSi 2 -family are frequently overlooked. Even compounds presumed to be stoichiometric, such as YFeGe 2 , can be misidentified. Here, in this study, we report a series of Y 4 Fe x Ge 8 (1.0 ≤ x ≤ 1.5) compounds and show, using high-resolution synchrotron X-ray diffraction, that they feature asymmetrical structural distortions in the Fe and Ge sites that lead to a superstructure with partially ordered Fe vacancies and distorted Ge square-net in the triclinic crystal system, space group P[1 with combining macron] with a = 11.4441(3) Å, b = 32.7356(7) Å, c = 11.4456(3) Å, α = 79.6330(10)°, β = 88.3300(10)°, and γ = 79.6350 (10)°. The unit cell is 16 times the conventional orthorhombic cell with the space group Cmcm. We identified the lower and upper limits for Fe in Y 4 Fe x Ge 8 (1.0 ≤ x ≤ 1.5). Our physical property measurements yielded a Sommerfeld coefficient γ = 39.8 mJ mole −1 K −2 , a Kadowaki–Woods ratio of 1.2 × 10 −5 μΩ cm mole 2 K 2 mJ −2 , and a Wilson ratio of 1.83, suggesting heavy fermion behavior in the absence of f electrons, a rather rare case. Furthermore, we observed strong spin frustration and noted findings indicating possible superconductivity associated with the Fe content.

Zhao, Hengdi [Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), A↗
DOE OSTI2025

d -Electron Heavy Fermion Behavior in a Near-Room-Temperature Polar Metallic Ferrimagnet: A Case of Mn 5 SiC

Polycrystalline Mn 5 SiC was synthesized by using a high-temperature solid-state method. Mn 5 SiC adopts a polar space group (Cmc2 1 ) with six crystallographic Mn sites confirmed by X-ray and neutron diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, and second harmonic generation experiments. The complex crystal structure features edge-sharing trigonal prisms and icosahedra, as well as face/edge-sharing pentagonal prisms. Magnetic measurements indicate ferrimagnetic ordering with a transition temperature of 284 K. The ferrimagnetic structure (magnetic space group Cm’c’2 1 ) was further identified by powder neutron diffraction, where collinear Mn spins align along the crystallographic c-axis. The refined magnetic moment for each crystallographic Mn site at 4 K is 1.8(2), −2.42(9), −1.72(8), 0.51(6), 0.50(4), and 1.7(2) μ B . Density functional theory calculations confirm both the metallic behavior and the ferrimagnetic structure observed experimentally and further provide insight into the observed Mn moment dependence across crystallographic sites. The resistivity and specific heat measurements and density functional theory calculations reveal a substantially large Kadowaki–Woods ratio of 5 × 10 –5 μΩ·cm/(mJ/mol) 2 and a many-body renormalization factor of 5.5, indicating the unusual heavy Fermion behavior in such an itinerant magnetic metal.

Messegee, Zachary T. [George Mason University, Fai↗
DOE OSTI2024

Derivation of low-energy Hamiltonians for heavy-fermion materials

Here, by utilizing a multiorbital periodic Anderson model with parameters obtained from ab initio band structure calculations, combined with degenerate perturbation theory, we derive effective Kondo-Heisenberg and spin Hamiltonians that capture the interaction among the effective magnetic moments. This derivation encompasses fluctuations via both nonmagnetic 4⁢𝑓 0 and magnetic 4⁢𝑓 2 virtual states, and its accuracy is confirmed through comparison with experimental data obtained from CeIn 3 . The significant agreement observed between experimental results and theoretical predictions underscores the potential of deriving minimal models from first-principles calculations for achieving a quantitative description of 4⁢𝑓 materials. Moreover, our microscopic derivation unveils the underlying origin of anisotropy in the exchange interaction between Kramers doublets, shedding light on the conditions under which this anisotropy may be weak compared to the isotropic contribution.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2023

A microscopic Kondo lattice model for the heavy fermion antiferromagnet CeIn 3

Electrons at the border of localization generate exotic states of matter across all classes of strongly correlated electron materials and many other quantum materials with emergent functionality. Heavy electron metals are a model example, in which magnetic interactions arise from the opposing limits of localized and itinerant electrons. This remarkable duality is intimately related to the emergence of a plethora of novel quantum matter states such as unconventional superconductivity, electronic-nematic states, hidden order and most recently topological states of matter such as topological Kondo insulators and Kondo semimetals and putative chiral superconductors. The outstanding challenge is that the archetypal Kondo lattice model that captures the underlying electronic dichotomy is notoriously difficult to solve for real materials. Here we show, using the prototypical strongly-correlated antiferromagnet CeIn 3 , that a multi-orbital periodic Anderson model embedded with input from ab initio bandstructure calculations can be reduced to a simple Kondo-Heisenberg model, which captures the magnetic interactions quantitatively. We validate this tractable Hamiltonian via high-resolution neutron spectroscopy that reproduces accurately the magnetic soft modes in CeIn 3 , which are believed to mediate unconventional superconductivity. Our study paves the way for a quantitative understanding of metallic quantum states such as unconventional superconductivity.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗