Field tuned critical fluctuations in YFe2Al10: Evidence from magnetization, 27Al (NMR, NQR) investigations

TL;DR

This study investigates the quantum critical behavior of YFe2Al10 through magnetization, specific heat, and NMR/NQR measurements, revealing critical fluctuations and a field-tuned crossover from quantum criticality to Fermi liquid behavior.

Contribution

It provides experimental evidence of field-tuned critical fluctuations and quantum criticality in YFe2Al10, highlighting the role of ferromagnetic correlations and the suppression of fluctuations by magnetic field.

Findings

Critical fluctuations follow a T^-0.4 power law.

Ferromagnetic correlations are indicated by susceptibility and relaxation rate.

Magnetic field suppresses fluctuations, inducing a crossover to Fermi liquid behavior.

Abstract

We report magnetization, specific heat, and NMR investigations on YFe2Al10 over a wide range in temperature and magnetic field and zero field (NQR) measurements. Magnetic susceptibility, specific heat and spin-lattice relaxation rate divided by T (1/T1T) follow a weak power law (T^-0.4) temperature dependence, which is a signature of critical fluctuations of Fe moments. The value of the Sommerfeld-Wilson ratio and linear relation between 1/T1T and chi(T) suggest the existence of ferromagnetic correlations in this system. No magnetic ordering down to 50 mK in Cp(T) and the unusual temperature and field scaling of the bulk and NMR data are associated with a magnetic instability which drives the system to quantum criticality. The magnetic properties of the system are tuned by field wherein ferromagnetic fluctuations are suppressed and a crossover from quantum critical to FL behavior is observed with increasing magnetic field.