Field Angle Tuned Metamagnetism and Lifschitz Transitions in UPt₃

Journal Article · 03 June 2019 · Scientific Reports

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-44602-8 · OSTI ID:1532710

Shivaram, B. S. ^[1]; Holleis, Ludwig ^[1]; Ulrich, V. W. ^[1]; Singleton, John  ^[2]; Jaime, Marcelo  ^[2]

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1. Univ. of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA (United States)
2. Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)

Strongly correlated electronic systems can harbor a rich variety of quantum spin states. Understanding and controlling such spin states in quantum materials is of great current interest. Focusing on the simple binary system UPt₃ with ultrasound (US) as a probe we identify clear signatures in field sweeps demarkating new high field spin phases. Magnetostriction (MS) measurements performed up to 65 T also show signatures at the same fields confirming these phase transitions. At the very lowest temperatures (<200 mK) we also observe magneto-acoustic quantum oscillations which for θ = 90° (B||c-axis) and vicinity abruptly become very strong in the 24.8–30 T range. High resolution magnetization measurements for this same angle reveal a continuous variation of the magnetization implying the subtle nature of the implied transitions. With B rotated away from the c-axis, the US signatures occur at nearly the same field. These transitions merge with the separate sequence of the well known metamagnetic transition which commences at 20 T for θ = 0° but moves to higher fields as 1/cosθ. This merge, suggesting a tricritical behavior, occurs at θ ≈ 51° from the ab-plane. This is an unique off-symmetry angle where the length change along the c-axis is precisely zero due to the anisotropic nature of MS in UPt₃ for all magnetic field values.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• Grant/Contract Number: 89233218CNA000001
• OSTI ID: 1532710
• Report Number(s): LA-UR--18-31036
• Journal Information: Scientific Reports, Journal Name: Scientific Reports Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 9; ISSN 2045-2322
• Publisher: Nature Publishing GroupCopyright Statement
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English