Magnetization plateau and anisotropic magnetoresistance in the frustrated Kondo-lattice compound Ce3ScBi5

TL;DR

This study investigates the magnetic and electronic properties of Ce3ScBi5, revealing complex magnetic transitions, anisotropic magnetoresistance, and Fermi surface changes, positioning it as a platform for exploring quantum fluctuations in frustrated Kondo lattices.

Contribution

It reports the synthesis and characterization of Ce3ScBi5, demonstrating its unique magnetic phases, metamagnetic transitions, and anisotropic magnetoresistance due to geometric frustration in a Kondo lattice.

Findings

Multiple antiferromagnetic transitions at 4.1 and 5.9 K.

Observation of metamagnetic transitions and magnetization plateaus.

Anisotropic magnetoresistance and Fermi surface reconstruction.

Abstract

Kondo metals with geometric frustration offer fertile ground for exploring exotic states of matter with a field-induced fractional magnetization platform and nonsaturating magnetoresistance. Herein, a Ce3ScBi5 single crystal with anti-Hf5Sn3Cu hexagonal structure was successfully synthesized via the bismuth self-flux method, leading to the formation of cerium cations arranged in a frustrated structure within a distorted kagome lattice. Magnetic measurements exhibit two distinct antiferromagnetic transitions at 4.1 and 5.9 K. Specifically, the occurrence of multiple metamagnetic transitions between magnetization plateaus is evidenced upon applying magnetic fields perpendicular to the c axis. Transport measurements highlight remarkable Kondo-lattice characteristics and anisotropic magnetoresistance in Ce3ScBi5. The anomalous Hall contributions are observed at low temperatures under critical fields, suggesting Fermi surface reconstruction in a subset of the metamagnetic transitions. We have constructed a temperature-field phase diagram to provide comprehensive information on the complex magnetic structures arising from competitive interactions. Our work establishes Ce3ScBi5 and related materials as a unique platform for exploring low-dimensional quantum fluctuations in bulk crystals, and analyzes the critical role of geometric frustration in Kondo and Ruderman-Kittel-Kasuya-Yosida physical frameworks.