Kondo Effects and Multipolar Order in the cubic PrTr2Al20 (Tr=Ti, V)

TL;DR

This study investigates the Kondo effect and quadrupolar ordering in cubic PrTr2Al20 (Tr=Ti, V), revealing hybridization-driven phenomena and differences in ordering behavior linked to Kondo coupling strength.

Contribution

It provides the first example of a cubic {b3}3 nonmagnetic ground doublet system exhibiting the Kondo effect with detailed experimental evidence.

Findings

PrV2Al20 shows -ln T resistivity and susceptibility indicating Kondo effect.

PrTi2Al20 exhibits quadrupolar order at 2.0 K with localized quadrupoles.

Stronger Kondo coupling in PrV2Al20 suppresses quadrupolar order, favoring hybridization.

Abstract

Our single crystal study reveals that PrTr2Al20 (Tr = Ti and V) provides the first examples of a cubic {\Gamma}3 nonmagnetic ground doublet system that shows the Kondo effect including a -ln T dependent resistivity. The {\Gamma}3 quadrupolar moments in PrV2Al20 induce anomalous metallic behavior through hybridization with conduction electrons, such as T^{1/2} dependent resistivity and susceptibility below ~ 20 K down to its ordering temperature T_O = 0.6 K. In PrTi2Al20, however, quadrupoles are well-localized and exhibit an order at T_O = 2.0 K. Stronger Kondo coupling in PrV2Al20 than in PrTi2Al20 suppresses quadrupolar ordering, and instead promotes hybridization between the {\Gamma}3 doublet and conduction electrons, leading to most likely the quadrupolar Kondo effect.