Three-dimensional bulk electronic structure of the Kondo lattice CeIn3 revealed by photoemission

TL;DR

This study maps the three-dimensional electronic structure of CeIn3 using soft x-ray ARPES, revealing its Fermi surface topology and the localized nature of its 4f electrons, aligning with theoretical models.

Contribution

First direct observation of CeIn3's 3D Fermi surface topology via photoemission, confirming localized 4f electron behavior consistent with advanced theoretical calculations.

Findings

Fermi surface has a hole pocket at b-Gamma-Z line

Electron pocket centered at R point

4f electrons are nearly localized in CeIn3

Abstract

We show the three-dimensional electronic structure of the Kondo lattice CeIn3 using soft x-ray angle resolved photoemission spectroscopy in the paramagnetic state. For the first time, we have directly observed the three-dimensional topology of the Fermi surface of CeIn3 by photoemission. The Fermi surface has a complicated hole pocket centred at the {\Gamma}-Z line and an elliptical electron pocket centred at the R point of the Brillouin zone. Polarization and photon-energy dependent photoemission results both indicate the nearly localized nature of the 4f electrons in CeIn3, consistent with the theoretical prediction by means of the combination of density functional theory and single-site dynamical meanfield theory. Those results illustrate that the f electrons of CeIn3, which is the parent material of CeMIn5 compounds, are closer to the localized description than the layered CeMIn5 compounds.