A quantum critical point (QCP) arises when a continuous transition between competing phases occurs at zero temperature. Collective excitations at magnetic QCPs give rise to metallic properties that strongly deviate from the expectations of Landau's Fermi-liquid description, which is the standard theory of electron correlations in metals. Central to this theory is the notion of quasiparticles, electronic excitations that possess the quantum numbers of the non-interacting electrons. Here we report measurements of thermal and electrical transport across the field-induced magnetic QCP in the heavy-fermion compound YbRh(2)Si(2) (refs 2, 3). We show that the ratio of the thermal to electrical conductivities at the zero-temperature limit obeys the Wiedemann-Franz law for magnetic fields above the critical field at which the QCP is attained. This is also expected for magnetic fields below the critical field, where weak antiferromagnetic order and a Fermi-liquid phase form below 0.07 K (at zero field). At the critical field, however, the low-temperature electrical conductivity exceeds the thermal conductivity by about 10 per cent, suggestive of a non-Fermi-liquid ground state. This apparent violation of the Wiedemann-Franz law provides evidence for an unconventional type of QCP at which the fundamental concept of Landau quasiparticles no longer holds. These results imply that Landau quasiparticles break up, and that the origin of this disintegration is inelastic scattering associated with electronic quantum critical fluctuations--these insights could be relevant to understanding other deviations from Fermi-liquid behaviour frequently observed in various classes of correlated materials.

FeSb(2) was recently identified as a narrow-gap semiconductor with indications of strong electron-electron correlations. In this manuscript, we report on systematic thermoelectric investigation of a number of FeSb(2) single crystals with varying carrier concentrations, together with two isoelectronically substituted FeSb(2-x)As(x) samples (x = 0.01 and 0.03) and two reference compounds FeAs(2) and RuSb(2). Typical behaviour associated with narrow bands and narrow gaps is only confirmed for the FeSb(2) and the FeSb(2-x)As(x) samples. The maximum absolute thermopower of FeSb(2) spans from 10 to 45 mV/K at around 10 K, greatly exceeding that of both FeAs(2) and RuSb(2). The relation between the carrier concentration and the maximum thermopower value is in approximate agreement with theoretical predictions of the electron-diffusion contribution which, however, requires an enhancement factor larger than 30. The isoelectronic substitution leads to a reduction of the thermal conductivity, but the charge-carrier mobility is also largely reduced due to doping-induced crystallographic defects or impurities. In combination with the high charge-carrier mobility and the enhanced thermoelectricity, FeSb(2) represents a promising candidate for thermoelectric cooling applications at cryogenic temperatures.

The thermoelectric power factor of the narrow-gap semiconductor FeSb 2 is greatly enhanced in comparison to the isostructural homologues FeAs 2 and RuSb 2 . Comparative studies of magnetic and thermodynamic properties provide evidence that the narrow and correlated bands as well as the associated enhanced thermoelectricity are only specific to FeSb 2 . Our results point to the potential of FeSb 2 for practical thermoelectric application at cryogenic temperatures and stimulate the search for new correlated semiconductors along the same lines.