Low-temperature infrared spectroscopy of Tm0.19Yb0.81B12 dodecaboride with metal-insulator transition and dynamic charge stripes

TL;DR

This study investigates the infrared spectra of Tm0.19Yb0.81B12 across temperatures, revealing Jahn-Teller effects, charge stripes, and phase separation phenomena linked to its complex electronic ground state.

Contribution

First systematic infrared spectroscopy analysis of Tm0.19Yb0.81B12 revealing mechanisms behind its metal-insulator transition and charge stripe formation.

Findings

Identification of Jahn-Teller induced rattling modes

Observation of intra-gap collective excitations

Evidence for electronic phase separation

Abstract

Tm1-xYbxB12 dodecaborides represent model objects for the studies of quantum critical behavior, metal-insulator transition and complex charge-spin-orbital-phonon coupling phenomena. In spite of intensive investigations, the mechanism of the ground state formation in this strongly correlated electron system remains a subject of active debates. We have performed first systematic measurements of temperature-dependent spectra of infrared conductivity of Tm0.19Yb0.81B12 at frequencies 40-35000 cm-1 and in the temperature interval from 300 K down to 10 K. Analysis of the temperature evolution of the observed absorption resonances is performed. Their origin is associated with the Jahn-Teller instability in the cubic lattice which results in the rattling modes of the rare earth ions and leads to emergence of both the intra-gap mixed-type collective excitations and the dynamic charge stripes. Temperature dependent effective mass of charge carriers is determined and a picture is presented of the multiple relaxation channels and the transformation of the manybody states at different temperatures. We argue in favor of electronic phase separation scenario which is valid both for the metal-insulator transition and for the formation of the nanoscale filamentary structure in Tm1-xYbxB12 compounds.