Elastic property of the Yb-based heavy fermion compound YbPtSb

• Published in: Physica status solidi. B. Basic research 2010-03, Vol.247 (3), p.754-756
• Main Authors: Nakanishi, Yoshiki, Ito, Kankichi, Kamiyama, Toru, Kashiwazaki, Reiko, Deto, Kazuhisa, Shichinomiya, Fumitaka, Nakamura, Mitsuteru, Yoshizawa, Masahito, Suzuki, Hiroyuki S.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 71.10.Hf; 71.20.Eh; 71.27.+a; 71.28.+d; 71.38.Cn; 73.43.Nq; Condensed matter: structure, mechanical and thermal properties; Elasticity, elastic constants; Exact sciences and technology; Mechanical and acoustical properties of condensed matter; Mechanical properties of solids; Physics
• ISSN: 0370-1972; 1521-3951
• DOI: 10.1002/pssb.200983026

We report measurements of elastic constants detected close to a quantum critical point (QCP) of YbPtSb using one of the best‐established macroscopic probes, ultrasonic method. The elastic constant shows a pronounced elastic softening toward zero temperature below around 20 K. It is noteworthy that these are not Curie type softening, which generally indicate a crystalline electric field (CEF) effect, but a logarithmic decrease of the elastic constant. Furthermore, with increasing magnetic field, the temperature range in which a logarithmic decrease of the elastic constant is observed shifts gradually to higher temperatures, suggesting a crossover from non‐Fermi liquid to Fermi liquid tuned by an external field. We discuss the first observation of NFL effects and its magnetic field dependence at ambient pressure in a high‐quality single crystal of an undoped Yb‐based heavy fermion compound: YbPtSb. Schematic crystal structure of YbPtSb.