Concurrence of directional Kondo transport and incommensurate magnetic order in the layered material AgCrSe$_2$

TL;DR

This study reveals the simultaneous occurrence of directional Kondo transport and incommensurate magnetic order in AgCrSe$_2$, highlighting a unique interplay between impurity Kondo physics and magnetic transitions in a layered material.

Contribution

It demonstrates the coexistence of Kondo behavior and incommensurate magnetic order in AgCrSe$_2$, with detailed analysis linking impurity spin and magnetic transition temperatures.

Findings

Impurity Kondo behavior with T_K = 32 K identified.

Agreement with Schlottmann's scaling theory for impurity spin S=3/2.

Néel temperature equals Kondo temperature, indicating a unique magnetic-Kondo interplay.

Abstract

In this work, we report on the concurrent emergence of the directional Kondo behavior and incommensurate magnetic ordering in a layered material. We employ temperature- and magnetic field-dependent resistivity measurements, susceptibility measurements, and high resolution wavelength X-ray diffraction spectroscopy to study the electronic properties of AgCrSe$_2$. Impurity Kondo behavior with a characteristic temperature of $T_\text K$ = 32 K is identified through quantitative analysis of the in-plane resistivity, substantiated by magneto-transport measurements. The agreement between our experimental data and the Schlottmann's scaling theory allows us to determine the impurity spin as $S$ = 3/2. Furthermore, we discuss the origin of the Kondo behavior and its relation to the material's antiferromagnetic transition. Our study uncovers an unusual phenomenon -- the equivalence of the N\'eel temperature and the Kondo temperature -- paving the way for further investigations into the intricate interplay between impurity physics and magnetic phenomena in quantum materials, with potential applications in advanced electronic and magnetic devices.