Thermodynamics of CeNiSn at low temperatures and in weak magnetic fields

TL;DR

This paper investigates the low-temperature thermodynamic and magnetic properties of CeNiSn, explaining observed anomalies through a spin-liquid model involving Kondo lattice behavior and crystal-field interactions, supported by experimental and theoretical analysis.

Contribution

It introduces a comprehensive model of CeNiSn's low-temperature behavior, integrating thermodynamics, magnetic response, and neutron scattering within a spin-liquid framework.

Findings

Anomalies in thermodynamic and magnetic properties are explained by a spin-liquid model.

Pseudogap behavior arises from interplay between spin-fermions and crystal-field states.

The model provides a consistent description of low-temperature anomalies in CeNiSn.

Abstract

Detailed experimental and theoretical studies of the low-temperature specific heat, magnetic susceptibility, thermal expansion and magnetostriction of the orthorhombic compound CeNiSn are presented. All anomalies observed in the thermodynamic and magnetic properties of CeNiSn are explained in a framework of a model of metallic Kondo lattice with well developed spin-liquid-type excitations. The pseudogap behavior of these excitations appears due to interplay between spin-fermions and soft crystal-field (CF) states. The thermodynamic relations for the spin liquid are derived. Together with the explanation of inelastic neutron scattering spectra given earlier within a same approach these studies of the low-temperature thermodynamics and magnetic response give a consistent description of the nature of anomalies in the low-temperature thermodynamics of perfect and imperfect CeNiSn crystals.