Intermediate valence UTe₂ under pressure

Spin-triplet superconductors are a promising route in the search for topological superconductivity, and UTe₂ is a recently discovered contender. Electrical resistivity, ac calorimetry, and x-ray absorption measurements of UTe₂ under applied pressure reveal an antiferromagnetic quantum critical point near a critical pressure of 1.3 GPa. The emergence of magnetism is accompanied by an increase in valence toward a U⁴⁺ (5f²) state, which indicates that UTe₂ exhibits intermediate valence at ambient pressure. At the end of the talk I will discuss new insights learned from dilatometry measurements as well as outstanding open questions regarding superconductivity in this material.