Intermediate valence in single crystalline Yb$_2$Si$_2$Al

TL;DR

This study investigates the intermediate valence and Kondo lattice formation in Yb$_2$Si$_2$Al, revealing a transition from incoherent Yb moments to a coherent Fermi liquid state with strong correlations and intermediate valence behavior.

Contribution

The paper provides the first comprehensive experimental evidence of intermediate valence and Kondo coherence in Yb$_2$Si$_2$Al, linking magnetic, electronic, and spectroscopic data.

Findings

Yb$_2$Si$_2$Al exhibits intermediate valence with v_F≈2.68 at 80 K.

A Kondo temperature of approximately 30 K is identified.

Evidence of a transition to a Fermi liquid state with strong correlations at low temperatures.

Abstract

Yb$_2$Si$_2$Al may be a prototype for exploring different aspects of the Shastry-Sutherland lattice, formed by planes of orthogonally coupled Yb ions. Measurements of the magnetic susceptibility find incoherently fluctuating Yb$^{3+}$ moments coexisting with a weakly correlated metallic state that is confirmed by measurements of the electrical resistivity. Increasing signs of Kondo coherence are found with decreasing temperature, including an enhanced Sommerfeld coefficient and Kadowaki-Woods ratio that signal that the metallic state found at the lowest temperatures is a Fermi liquid where correlations have become significantly stronger. A pronounced peak in the electronic and magnetic specific heat indicates that the coupling of the Yb moments to the conduction electrons leads to an effective Kondo temperature that is approximately 30 K. The valence of Yb$_2$Si$_2$Al has been investigated with electron spectroscopy methods. Yb$_2$Si$_2$Al is found to be strongly intermediate valent ($v_F=2.68(2)$ at 80 K). Taken together, these experimental data are consistent with a scenario where a coherent Kondo lattice forms in Yb$_2$Si$_2$Al from an incoherently fluctuating ensemble of Yb moments with incomplete Kondo compensation, and strong intermediate valence character.