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Fluctuations and the ferromagnetic instability in YFe 2 Al 10 : The role of Fe stoichiometry
Author(s) -
Strydom A. M.,
Khuntia P.,
Baenitz M.,
Peratheepan P.,
Steglich F.
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
physica status solidi (b)
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.51
H-Index - 109
eISSN - 1521-3951
pISSN - 0370-1972
DOI - 10.1002/pssb.201200823
Subject(s) - condensed matter physics , ferromagnetism , stoichiometry , materials science , electrical resistivity and conductivity , scaling , chemistry , physics , organic chemistry , quantum mechanics , geometry , mathematics
YFe 2 Al 10 forms in a well‐ordered crystal structure, with a unique site for the magnetic atom Fe. At elevated temperatures YFe 2 Al 10 behaves electronically as a good metal. At low temperatures on the other hand, signatures of correlated behavior develop and eventually non‐Fermi‐liquid scaling dominates all of the physical properties: the electrical resistivity develops a negative temperature coefficient below 20 K, and the specific heat C p ( T )/ T and χ ( T ) both assume a power‐law increase upon lowering the temperature below ≃3 K. Lowest temperature studies have failed to find magnetic ordering in YFe 2 Al 10 in spite of compelling evidence that there is impending order in this compound and that it is indeed of ferromagnetic character. Here we report on measurements of thermal and electronic transport as well as heat capacity studies on the series of compounds YFe 2 + δ Al 10 with δ ≤ |0.1|, with the purpose of testing the stability of the low‐temperature divergences in physical properties against off‐stoichiometric Fe.