Heavy Fermion superconductor CeCu$_2$Si$_2$ under high pressure: multiprobing the valence crossover

TL;DR

This study investigates CeCu$_2$Si$_2$ under high pressure, revealing a valence crossover near 4.5 GPa through multiprobe measurements, suggesting a shift in the superconducting pairing mechanism from spin to valence fluctuations.

Contribution

First comprehensive multiprobe experiment identifying the valence crossover and critical end point in CeCu$_2$Si$_2$ under high pressure.

Findings

Resistivity data show scaling behavior near the valence transition.

Critical end point located at approximately 4.5 GPa.

Physical properties exhibit signatures of valence crossover and critical fluctuations.

Abstract

The first heavy fermion superconductor CeCu$_2$Si$_2$ has not revealed all its striking mysteries yet. At high pressures, superconductivity is supposed to be mediated by valence fluctuations, in contrast to ambient pressure, where spin fluctuations most likely act as pairing glue. We have carried out a multiprobe (electric transport, thermopower, ac specific heat, Hall and Nernst effects) experiment up to $7 \text{GPa}$ on a high quality CeCu$_2$Si$_2$ single crystal. Reliable resistivity data reveal for the first time a scaling behavior close to the supposed valence transition, and allow to locate the critical end point at $4.5\pm0.2 \text{GPa}$ and a slightly negative temperature. In the same pressure region, remarkable features have also been detected in the other physical properties, acting as further signatures of the Ce valence crossover and the associated critical fluctuations.