The Magnetic Phase Diagram of the Candidate Topological Material Ce₂Ge₂Mg

In this talk I will discuss Ce₂Ge₂Mg, a Ce-based correlated electron material predicted to host topologically protected electronic states. The metal Ce₂Ge₂Mg has a layered structure with the Ce³⁺ magnetic moments in nearest neighbor pairs arranged orthogonally in the tetragonal a-b plane, a structure equivalent to the Shastry-Sutherland lattice (SSL). The bulk properties and magnetic phase diagram have been measured, and they share striking similarities to the structurally related compound Yb₂Pt₂Pt, where fractionalized magnetic excitations of a large Yb pseudospin are found. I will discuss the properties of Ce₂Ge₂Mg and what magnetic excitations might be present. I will also discuss the possibilities of topologically protected electronic states in Ce₂Ge₂Mg.