Quasiparticle relaxation dynamics in heavy fermion compounds

TL;DR

This study investigates how electron-phonon thermalization in heavy fermion compounds slows dramatically near zero temperature, revealing the influence of large electronic specific heat and suppressed scattering processes.

Contribution

First femtosecond measurements of electron-phonon thermalization in heavy fermion compounds, highlighting anomalous slowing down near zero temperature.

Findings

e-ph thermalization time increases significantly below the Kondo temperature

Slowing down attributed to large electronic specific heat and suppressed electron-phonon scattering

Results support models involving heavy electron dynamics and thermalization processes

Abstract

We present the first femtosecond studies of electron-phonon (e-ph) thermalization in heavy fermion compounds. The e-ph thermalization time tau_{ep} increases below the Kondo temperature by more than two orders of magnitude as T = 0 K is approached. Analysis using the two-temperature model and numerical simulations based on Boltzmann's equations suggest that this anomalous slowing down of the e-ph thermalization derives from the large electronic specific heat and the suppresion of scattering between heavy electrons and phonons.