Landau renormalizations of superfluid density in the heavy-fermion superconductor CeCoIn5

The formation of heavy-fermion bands can occur by means of the conversion of a periodic array of local moments into itinerant electrons via the Kondo effect and the huge consequent Fermi-liquid renormalizations. Leggett predicted for liquid (3)He that Fermi-liquid renormalizations change in the superconducting state, leading to a temperature dependence of the London penetration depth Λ quite different from that in BCS theory. Using Leggett's theory, as modified for heavy fermions, it is possible to extract from the measured temperature dependence of Λ in high quality samples both Landau parameters F(0)(s) and F(1)(s); this has never been accomplished before. A modification of the temperature dependence of the electronic specific heat C(el), related to that of Λ, is also expected. We have carefully determined the magnitude and temperature dependence of Λ in CeCoIn(5) by muon spin relaxation rate measurements to obtain F(0)(s) = 36 ± 1 and F(1)(s) = 1.2 ± 0.3, and we find a consistent change in the temperature dependence of C(el). This, the first determination of F(1)(s) with a value ≪ F(0)(s) in a heavy-fermion compound, tests the basic assumption of the theory of heavy fermions, that the frequency dependence of the self-energy is much more important than its momentum dependence.

Magnetic transition and spin fluctuations in the unconventional antiferromagnetic compound Yb₃Pt₄

Muon spin rotation and relaxation measurements have been carried out on the unconventional antiferromagnet Yb3Pt4. Oscillations are observed below T(N) = 2.22(1) K, consistent with the antiferromagnetic (AFM) Néel temperature observed in bulk experiments. In agreement with neutron diffraction experiments the oscillation frequency ω(μ)(T)/2π follows an S = 1/2 mean-field temperature dependence, yielding a quasistatic local field of 1.71(2) kOe at T = 0. A crude estimate gives an ordered moment of ∼ 0.66 μ(B) at T = 0, comparable to 0.81 μ(B) from neutron diffraction. As T-->T(N) from above the dynamic relaxation rate λ(d) exhibits no critical slowing down, consistent with a mean-field transition. In the AFM phase a T-linear fit to λ(d)(T), appropriate to a Fermi liquid, yields highly enhanced values of λ(d)/T and the Korringa constant K(μ)(2)T/λ(d), with K(μ) the estimated muon Knight shift. A strong suppression of λ(d) by applied field is observed in the AFM phase. These properties are consistent with the observed large Sommerfeld-Wilson and Kadowaki-Woods ratios in Yb3Pt4 (although the data do not discriminate between Fermi-liquid and non-Fermi-liquid states), and suggest strong enhancement of q≈0 spin correlations between large-Fermi-volume band quasiparticles in the AFM phase of Yb3Pt4.

Muon spin relaxation and isotropic pairing in superconducting PrOs4Sb12

Transverse-field muon-spin rotation measurements in the vortex-lattice of the heavy-fermion (HF) superconductor PrOs4Sb12 yield a temperature dependence of the magnetic penetration depth lambda indicative of an isotropic or nearly isotropic energy gap. This is not seen to date in any other HF superconductor and is a signature of isotropic pairing symmetry, possibly related to a novel nonmagnetic "quadrupolar Kondo" HF mechanism in PrOs4Sb12. The T=0 relaxation rate sigma(s)(0)=0.91(1) micros(-1) yields an estimated magnetic penetration depth lambda(0)=3440(20) A, which is considerably shorter than in other HF superconductors.

29Si NMR and hidden order in URu2Si2

Below T(N) approximately 17 K the 29Si NMR line in URu2Si2 exhibits a previously unobserved field-independent nearly isotropic contribution to the linewidth, which increases to approximately 12 G as T-->0. We argue that this feature does not arise from static freezing of the U-spin magnetization, but is due to coupling between 29Si spins and a hidden order parameter. We discuss time-reversal symmetry-breaking orbital antiferromagnetism and indirect nuclear spin-spin interactions as possible coupling mechanisms. Further NMR experiments and theoretical calculations are suggested.

Glassy spin dynamics in non-fermi-liquid UCu5-xPdx, x = 1.0 and 1.5

Local f-electron spin dynamics in the non-Fermi-liquid heavy-fermion alloys UCu5-xPdx, x = 1.0 and 1.5, have been studied using muon spin-lattice relaxation. The sample-averaged asymmetry function G(t) indicates strongly inhomogeneous spin fluctuations and exhibits the scaling G(t,H) = G(t/H(gamma)) expected from glassy dynamics. At 0.05 K gamma(x = 1.0) = 0.35+/-0.1, but gamma(x = 1.5) = 0.7+/-0.1. This is in contrast to inelastic neutron scattering results, which yield gamma = 0.33 for both concentrations. There is no sign of static magnetism approximately greater than 10(-3)(B)/U ion in either material above 0.05 K. Our results strongly suggest that both alloys are quantum spin glasses.