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Phase Diagram of Valence Transition below 14T and above 2K for Ce$_{1-x}$Pr$_{x}$Os$_{4}$Sb$_{12\, }$, x$=$0.1 and 0.2

POSTER

Abstract

Filled skutterudite compounds are described by the chemical formula: LnT$_{4}$Pn$_{12}$ where Ln is a rare-earth metal, T is a transition metal, and Pn is a pnictogen. CeOs$_{4}$Sb$_{12}$ is a Kondo insulator that exhibits antiferromagnetism due to spin-density wave formation below 1 K. Based on the band-structure calculation, CeOs$_{4}$Sb$_{12}$ is suggested to be a candidate for topological insulators, which may have a hole Fermi surface and an electron Fermi surface coexisting at low temperatures. Through our previous studies of CeOs$_{4}$Sb$_{12}$, we found that a valence transition occurs in this compound, and we have established an intriguing temperature, $T$-, magnetic field, $H$, phase diagram in its normal state. Nevertheless, the neighboring isostructural compound PrOs$_{4}$Sb$_{12}$ is a heavy-fermion superconductor with a transition temperature at 1.85 K. When Pr substitutes Ce in CeOs$_{4}$Sb$_{12}$, a hole-doping is introduced. We plan to study the series of Ce$_{1-x}$Pr$_{x}$Os$_{4}$Sb$_{12}$ to investigate the influence of hole-doping to the valence transition. In this report, we will show the preliminary results of normal state resistivity of two concentrations: x$=$0.1 and x$=$0.2 from 300 K to 2 K in magnetic fields ranging from 0 to 14 Tesla as well as the $T-H$ phase diagram updated with the doped samples' resistance data.

Authors

  • Leticia Ramos

    California State University, Fresno

  • Xingyu Zhao

    California State University, Fresno

  • Zachary Carrender

    California State University, Fresno

  • Tatsuya Yanagisawa

    Hokkaido University, Sapporo

  • M. Brian Maple

    University of California, San Diego

  • Pei-Chun Ho

    California State University, Fresno