Quantum critical scaling in the disordered itinerant ferromagnet UCo$_{1-x}$Fe$_x$Ge

TL;DR

This study confirms that disorder in UCo$_{1-x}$Fe$_x$Ge restores the second-order quantum phase transition predicted by BKV theory, with observed critical exponents matching theoretical predictions.

Contribution

First experimental verification of BKV theory's prediction of second-order quantum phase transitions in disordered metals through detailed magnetization measurements.

Findings

Identification of a second-order ferromagnetic QPT in UCo$_{1-x}$Fe$_x$Ge

Critical exponents consistent with BKV theory

Disorder changes the nature of electronic soft modes from ballistic to diffusive

Abstract

Belitz-Kirkpatrick-Vojta (BKV) theory shows in excellent agreement with experiment that ferromagnetic quantum phase transitions (QPTs) in clean metals are generally first-order due to the coupling of the magnetization to electronic soft modes, in contrast to the classical analogue that is an archetypical second-order phase transition. For disordered metals BKV theory predicts that the second order nature of the QPT is restored because the electronic soft modes change their nature from ballistic to diffusive. Our low-temperature magnetization study identifies the ferromagnetic QPT in the disordered metal UCo$_{1-x}$Fe$_x$Ge as the first clear example that exhibits the associated critical exponents predicted by BKV theory.