Non-Fermi Liquid Behavior in Dilute Quadrupolar System Pr$_{x}$La$_{1-x}$Pb$_3$ with $x$$\le$0.05

TL;DR

This study investigates the low-temperature properties of dilute Pr$_{x}$La$_{1-x}$Pb$_{3}$ with quadrupolar moments, revealing non-Fermi liquid behavior likely due to a quadrupolar Kondo effect in the dilute limit.

Contribution

It provides experimental evidence of non-Fermi liquid behavior in a dilute quadrupolar system, highlighting the role of quadrupolar Kondo interactions.

Findings

Specific heat $C/T$ increases monotonically below 1.5 K for $x \,\leq\, 0.05$

Electrical resistivity deviates from Fermi-liquid $T^2$ dependence

Behavior can be scaled with a characteristic temperature $T^*$

Abstract

We have studied the low-temperature properties of Pr$_{x}$La$_{1-x}$Pb$_{3}$ with non-Kramers $\Gamma_{3}$ quadrupolar moments of the crystal-electric-field ground state, for a wide concentration range of Pr ions. For $x$$\le$0.05, the specific heat $C/T$ increases monotonically below $T$=1.5 K, which can be scaled with a characteristic temperature $T^{*}$ defined at each concentration $x$. The electrical resistivity $\rho$$(T)$ in the corresponding temperature region shows a marked decrease deviating from a Fermi-liquid behavior $\rho$$(T)$$\propto$$T^{2}$. The Kondo effect arising from the correlation between the dilute $\Gamma_{3}$ moments and the conduction electrons may give rise to such anomalous behavior.