Experimental and theoretical study of CePdBi

Abstract

In this paper we present experimental results obtained for CePdBi by means of specific heat, electrical resistivity, magnetization and x-ray photoemission spectroscopy (XPS) measurements as well as fully relativistic band structure calculations. CePdBi crystallizes in MgAgAs structure and exhibits a transition to a magnetically ordered state at TM ~/= 2 K, and a subsequent transition to a superconducting state at TC ~/= 1.3 K. The superconducting phase has a significant critical field of about 1.4 T. The x-ray diffraction, resistivity and magnetic susceptibility data show that CePdBi exhibits significant atomic disorder, which is a typical feature of Heusler alloys. It seems that the superconducting transition is caused by part of the disordered phase, which from the Meissner shielding can be estimated to constitute ~8% of the sample volume. Due to atomic disorder, CePdBi exhibits metamagnetic behavior below TM and spin-glass-like features just above TM. Band structure calculations confirm the magnetic ground state of the CePdBi system and the possibility of formation of a narrow pseudogap near the Fermi level, which can also be seen in resistivity data. The spin-orbit interaction strongly influences the band structure and the shape of the semiconducting gap.

Review on magnetic and related properties of RTX compounds

“…At 5 K, the field dependence of resistivity shows a drop attributed to AFM fluctuations above 2 K and below 1.5 K, the resistivity shows a clear superconducting transition. It has been observed that TC depends on field application and decreases with increase in field, which confirms its superconducting nature in CePdBi [379].…”

“…CePdBi shows a magnetic transition at 2 K and the gradual drop in susceptibility data below this can be associated with AFM ordering [379]. At the lowest temperature, ac susceptibility exhibits diamagnetic behavior hinting the superconducting state in this compound.…”

“…Large value of electrical resistivity with its shape signals strong atomic disorder in CePdBi [379]. At 5 K, the field dependence of resistivity shows a drop attributed to AFM fluctuations above 2 K and below 1.5 K, the resistivity shows a clear superconducting transition.…”

Structural, Magnetic, and Electronic Properties and the Topological Phase of CePdBi Bulk and Nanolayers

“…CePdBi compound crystallized in MgAgAs structure in the cubic structure with the F-43m space group [1]. This compound is similar of materials with the general formula RPdBi, where R is a series of rare earth.…”

“…These compounds display a variety of interesting properties such as localized antiferromagnetic behavior, semimetals or narrow band semiconductors, and topological insulator [2,3].The topological insulator is a novel quantum state of matter involving insulating gap in the bulk and conducting states on the edges or surfaces. The search for three-dimensional topological insulator behavior has been extended to ternary half-Heusler, rare earth-based compounds [1]. Therefore, the CePdBi compound, which is isostructural with RPdBi compounds, seems to be very interesting.…”