Diamagnetic Sm$^{3+}$ in the topological Kondo insulator SmB$_6$

TL;DR

This study investigates the magnetic properties of samarium ions in the topological Kondo insulator SmB$_6$, revealing diamagnetic behavior of Sm$^{3+}$ ions and complex bulk-surface magnetic interactions using advanced X-ray spectroscopy techniques.

Contribution

The paper provides the first detailed measurement of surface and bulk magnetic moments of Sm$^{3+}$ in SmB$_6$ using XAS and XMCD, highlighting diamagnetic behavior and impurity effects.

Findings

Sm$^{3+}$ moments are diamagnetic and anti-aligned to the applied field.

Surface Sm$^{3+}$ magnetization is about 1.5% of total Sm at 8 K and 6 T.

Bulk magnetization is dominated by Sm$^{2+}$ Van Vleck susceptibility and impurities.

Abstract

Samarium hexaboride is a topological Kondo insulator, with metallic surface states manifesting from its insulating band structure. Since the insulating bulk itself is driven by strong correlations, both the bulk and surface host compelling magnetic and electronic phenomena. We employed X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) and X-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD) at the Sm M$_{4,5}$ edges to measure surface and bulk magnetic properties of Sm$^{2+}$ and Sm$^{3+}$ within SmB$_6$. We observed anti-alignment to the applied field of the Sm$^{3+}$ magnetic dipole moment below $T = 75$ K and of the total orbital moment of samarium below 30 K. The induced Sm$^{3+}$ moment at the cleaved surface at 8 K and 6 T implies 1.5% of the total Sm as magnetized Sm$^{3+}$. The field dependence of the Sm$^{3+}$ XMCD dichorism at 8 K is diamagnetic and approximately linear. The bulk magnetization at 2 K is however driven by Sm$^{2+}$ Van Vleck susceptibility as well as 1% paramagnetic impurities with $\mu_{\rm Eff} = 5.2(1)~\mu_{\rm B}$. This indicates diamagnetic Sm$^{3+}$ is compensated within the bulk. The XAS and XMCD spectra are weakly affected by Sm vacancies and carbon doping while XAS is strongly affected by polishing.