Heavy-fermion behavior in CeInPt₄

Abstract

Results of magnetic-susceptibility, electrical-resistivity, and low-temperature specific-heat measurements on a new ternary cubic compound, CeInPt₄, are reported. The magnetic susceptibility follows Curie-Weiss behavior between 100 and 300 K with an effective magnetic moment of 2.54μ_B and a rather large paramagnetic Curie temperature of -225 K. Considerable deviation from Curie-Weiss behavior is observed in the susceptibility below 100 K. The specific heat (C) shows an upturn in C/T vs T² plot below 2 K. The γ value increases with decreasing temperatures attaining a value of 1750 mJ mole^-1K^-2 at 0.1 K. As T→0,γ approaches a value of 2500 mJ mole^-1 K^-2 which is one of the highest in heavy-fermion compounds. The electrical resistivity is almost temperature independent between 300 and 100 K and drops linearly with temperature below 100 K, followed by T² dependence at still lower temperatures. The susceptibility results are analyzed using a valence-fluctuation model incorporating the effects due to crystalline electric fields.