On the origin of the conductance asymmetry in CeMin5(M=Co, Rh, Ir)

Journal Article · Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2008

OSTI ID:957769

Bauer, Eric D ^[1]; Sarrao, J L ^[1]; Thompson, Joe D ^[1]; Park, W K ^[2]; Greene, L H ^[2]

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1. Los Alamos National Laboratory
2. U OF ILLINOIS

Asymmetric differential conductance has been frequently observed in heavy fermion point-contact junctions. We report such data obtained from the Ce-based 1-1-5 compounds CeMIn5 (M=Co, Rh, Ir). Apart from characteristics due to superconductivity or antiferromagnetism, a striking common feature is an asymmetry in the background conductance, which shows nontrivial temperature and voltage dependencies. These behaviors cannot be explained by the local heating model combined with large Seebeck effect in heavy fermions. We propose that a Fana-like interference may cause the asymmetry. The interference can occur between two conductance channels, one into the conduction b<'lJld and the other into the heavy electron band formed by the hybridization of conduction electrons with localized f-electrons.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: AC52-06NA25396
• OSTI ID: 957769
• Report Number(s): LA-UR-08-04548; LA-UR-08-4548; TRN: US201016%%173
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
ANTIFERROMAGNETISM
ASYMMETRY
ELECTRONS
FERMIONS
HEATING
HYBRIDIZATION
ORIGIN
SEEBECK EFFECT
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY