CePdAl - a Kondo lattice with partial frustration

TL;DR

This paper investigates CePdAl, a rare example of a geometrically frustrated Kondo lattice, revealing how the interplay of Kondo effect and magnetic frustration results in an unusual ground state through various experimental measurements.

Contribution

It provides experimental evidence of the coexistence of Kondo effect and magnetic frustration in CePdAl, a rare metallic frustrated system.

Findings

Demonstrates the coexistence of Kondo effect and magnetic frustration in CePdAl.

Shows unusual ground state properties arising from this coexistence.

Provides comprehensive experimental data including resistivity, magnetization, specific heat, and neutron diffraction.

Abstract

Magnetic frustration, which is well-defined in insulating systems with localized magnetic moments, yields exotic ground states like spin ices, spin glasses, or spin liquids. In metals magnetic frustration is less well defined because of the incipient delocalization of magnetic moments by the interaction with conduction electrons, viz., the Kondo effect. Hence, the Kondo effect and magnetic frustration are antithetic phenomena. Here we present experimental data of electrical resistivity, magnetization, specific heat and neutron diffraction on CePdAl, which is one of the rare examples of a geometrically frustrated Kondo lattice, demonstrating that the combination of Kondo effect and magnetic frustration leads to an unusual ground state.