Multipolar phases and magnetically hidden order: review of the heavy-fermion compound Ce1-xLaxB6

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

  • Alistair S. Cameron - , TUD Dresden University of Technology (Author)
  • Gerd Friemel - , Max Planck Institute for Gravitational Physics (Albert Einstein Institute) (Author)
  • Dmytro S. Inosov - , TUD Dresden University of Technology (Author)

Abstract

Cerium hexaboride is a cubic f-electron heavy-fermion compound that displays a rich array of low-temperature magnetic ordering phenomena which have been the subject of investigation for more than 50 years. Its complex behaviour is the result of competing interactions, with both itinerant and local electrons playing important roles. Investigating this material has proven to be a substantial challenge, in particular because of the appearance of a 'magnetically hidden order' phase, which remained elusive to neutron-scattering investigations for many years. It was not until the development of modern x-ray scattering techniques that the long suspected multipolar origin of this phase was confirmed. Doping with non-magnetic lanthanum dilutes the magnetic cerium sublattice and reduces the f-electron count, bringing about substantial changes to the ground state with the emergence of new phases and quantum critical phenomena. To this day, Ce1-xLaxB6 and its related compounds remain a subject of intense interest. Despite the substantial progress in understanding their behaviour, they continue to reveal new and unexplained physical phenomena. Here we present a review of the accumulated body of knowledge on this family of materials in order to provide a firm standpoint for future investigations.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Article number066502
Number of pages27
JournalReports on progress in physics
Volume79
Issue number6
Publication statusPublished - Jun 2016
Peer-reviewedYes
Externally publishedYes

External IDs

Scopus 84979503497

Keywords

Keywords

  • multipolar ordering, magnetically hidden order, heavy fermions, cerium hexaboride, INELASTIC NEUTRON-SCATTERING, CRYSTAL-FIELD EXCITATIONS, ANTIFERRO-QUADRUPOLAR, EXCHANGE INTERACTIONS, ELECTRICAL-RESISTIVITY, ELASTIC PROPERTIES, CHARGE-TRANSPORT, LIQUID BEHAVIOR, CYCLOTRON MASS, KONDO-LATTICE