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Martelli V, Cai A, Nica EM, Taupin M, Prokofiev A, Liu CC, Lai HH, Yu R, Ingersent K, Küchler R, Strydom AM, Geiger D, Haenel J, Larrea J, Si Q, Paschen S. Sequential localization of a complex electron fluid. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2019; 116:17701-17706. [PMID: 31431528 PMCID: PMC6731632 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1908101116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Complex and correlated quantum systems with promise for new functionality often involve entwined electronic degrees of freedom. In such materials, highly unusual properties emerge and could be the result of electron localization. Here, a cubic heavy fermion metal governed by spins and orbitals is chosen as a model system for this physics. Its properties are found to originate from surprisingly simple low-energy behavior, with 2 distinct localization transitions driven by a single degree of freedom at a time. This result is unexpected, but we are able to understand it by advancing the notion of sequential destruction of an SU(4) spin-orbital-coupled Kondo entanglement. Our results implicate electron localization as a unified framework for strongly correlated materials and suggest ways to exploit multiple degrees of freedom for quantum engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina Martelli
- Institute of Solid State Physics, Vienna University of Technology, 1040 Vienna, Austria
| | - Ang Cai
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005
- Rice Center for Quantum Materials, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005
| | - Emilian M Nica
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005
- Rice Center for Quantum Materials, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005
| | - Mathieu Taupin
- Institute of Solid State Physics, Vienna University of Technology, 1040 Vienna, Austria
| | - Andrey Prokofiev
- Institute of Solid State Physics, Vienna University of Technology, 1040 Vienna, Austria
| | - Chia-Chuan Liu
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005
- Rice Center for Quantum Materials, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005
| | - Hsin-Hua Lai
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005
- Rice Center for Quantum Materials, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005
| | - Rong Yu
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005
- Rice Center for Quantum Materials, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005
- Department of Physics, Renmin University of China, Beijing 100872, China
| | - Kevin Ingersent
- Department of Physics, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611-8440
| | - Robert Küchler
- Physics of Quantum Materials, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Physics of Solids, 01187 Dresden, Germany
| | - André M Strydom
- Highly Correlated Matter Research Group, Physics Department, University of Johannesburg, Auckland Park 2006, South Africa
| | - Diana Geiger
- Institute of Solid State Physics, Vienna University of Technology, 1040 Vienna, Austria
| | - Jonathan Haenel
- Institute of Solid State Physics, Vienna University of Technology, 1040 Vienna, Austria
| | - Julio Larrea
- Institute of Solid State Physics, Vienna University of Technology, 1040 Vienna, Austria
| | - Qimiao Si
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005;
- Rice Center for Quantum Materials, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005
| | - Silke Paschen
- Institute of Solid State Physics, Vienna University of Technology, 1040 Vienna, Austria;
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005
- Rice Center for Quantum Materials, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005
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