X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy in the Heavy Fermion Compound α-YbAlB4 at High Magnetic Fields

• DOI: 10.7566/jpsj.84.114715
• Publication Date: 2015-10-30T01:03:03Z
• Authors: Taku T. Terashima; Yasuhiro H. Matsuda; Kentaro Kuga; Shintaro Suzuki; Yosuke Matsumoto; Satoru Nakatsuji; Akihiro Kondo; Koichi Kindo; Naomi Kawamura; Masaichiro Mizumaki; Toshiya Inami
• Keywords: X-ray absorption spectroscopy; Absorption edge; Magnetism

α-YbAlB4 shows strong valence fluctuation as well heavy fermion behavior at low temperatures. It has been theoretically suggested that the quantum criticality owing to found in Yb ions plays an important role peculiar properties of this material. In work, we measured X-ray absorption spectra (XAS) and magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD) L3 edge high fields up 40 T. is XAS are almost independent field 2 K, which proves there no significant change range. The XMCD spectrum exhibits a distinct negative peak low-energy side main positive near white line. attributed quadrupole transition between 2p 4f states, gives us microscopic information on state. This finding supports recent theoretical proposal \(|J_{z} = \pm 5/2\rangle \) ground state localized moment, where Jz z-component total angular momentum Yb3+.