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Nonpareil Yb Behavior in YbMn6Ge6xSnx

T. Mazet, D. Malterre, M. François, C. Dallera, M. Grioni, and G. Monaco
Phys. Rev. Lett. 111, 096402 – Published 28 August 2013

Abstract

We investigate the temperature dependence of the Yb valence in YbMn6Ge1.8Sn4.2 and YbMn6Ge1.6Sn4.4 using resonant inelastic x-ray scattering experiments. Yb is found to be in an intermediate valent state in the whole investigated temperature range (10–450 K). We thus prove that the unusually high magnetic ordering temperature of Yb (60 and 90 K for x=4.2 and 4.4, respectively) involves an intermediate valent Yb, an unprecedentedly observed phenomenon. Further, an anomalous increase in the Yb valence is observed upon cooling. A scenario is proposed to explain this unusual behavior. It is based on the presence of magnetically ordered Mn moments and on an Anderson Hamiltonian with a Zeeman term modeling the magnetic interactions.

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  • Received 21 June 2013

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.111.096402

© 2013 American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

T. Mazet1,*, D. Malterre1, M. François1, C. Dallera2, M. Grioni3, and G. Monaco4

  • 1Institut Jean Lamour, UMR 7198, Université de Lorraine—Boîte Postale 70239, 54506 Vandœuvre-lès-Nancy, France
  • 2INFM-Dipartimento di Fisica, Politecnico di Milano, Piazza Leonardo da Vinci 32, 20133 Milano, Italy
  • 3Institute of Condensed Matter Physics, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
  • 4European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF), Boîte Postale 220, 38043 Grenoble, France

  • *thomas.mazet@univ-lorraine.fr

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Issue

Vol. 111, Iss. 9 — 30 August 2013

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