Absence of localized-spin magnetism in the narrow-gap semiconductor FeSb2

I. A. Zaliznyak, A. T. Savici, V. O. Garlea, Rongwei Hu, and C. Petrovic
Phys. Rev. B 83, 184414 – Published 18 May 2011

Abstract

We report on the inelastic neutron scattering measurements aimed at investigating the origin of temperature-induced paramagnetism in narrow-gap semiconductor FeSb2. We find that inelastic response for energies up to 60 meV and at temperatures 4.2, 300, and 550 K is essentially consistent with the scattering by lattice phonon excitations. We observe no evidence for a well-defined magnetic peak corresponding to the excitation from the nonmagnetic S=0 singlet ground state to a state of magnetic multiplet in the localized-spin picture. Our data establish the quantitative limit of Seff20.25 on the fluctuating local spin. However, a broad magnetic scattering continuum in the 15 to 35 meV energy range is not ruled out by our data. Our findings make description in terms of the localized Fe spins unlikely and suggest that paramagnetic susceptibility of itinerant electrons is at the origin of the temperature-induced magnetism in FeSb2.

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  • Received 30 November 2009

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.83.184414

©2011 American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

I. A. Zaliznyak1,*, A. T. Savici2,3, V. O. Garlea3, Rongwei Hu1,†, and C. Petrovic1

  • 1CMPMSD, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, New York 11973, USA
  • 2Department of Physics and Astronomy, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21218, USA
  • 3Neutron Scattering Science Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, USA

  • *zaliznyak@bnl.gov
  • Present address: Ames Laboratory, US DOE, and Department of Physics and Astronomy, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011.

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Vol. 83, Iss. 18 — 1 May 2011

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