Discontinuous Hall coefficient at the quantum critical point in YbRh2Si2

Abstract

YbRh2Si2 is a model system for quantum criticality. Particularly, Hall effect measurements helped identify the unconventional nature of its quantum critical point. Here, we present a high-resolution study of the Hall effect and magnetoresistivity on samples of different quality. We find a robust crossover on top of a sample dependent linear background contribution. Our detailed analysis provides a complete characterization of the crossover in terms of its position, width, and height. Importantly, we find in the extrapolation to zero temperature a discontinuity of the Hall coefficient occurring at the quantum critical point for all samples. Particularly, the height of the jump in the Hall coefficient remains finite in the limit of zero temperature. Hence, our data solidify the conclusion of a collapsing Fermi surface. Finally, we contrast our results to the smooth Hall-effect evolution seen in Chromium, the prototype system for a spin-density-wave quantum critical point.

minor revisions, accepted for publication in Journal of Physics: Condensed Matter

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Cited by in corpus (6)

• Thermal and Electrical Transport across a Magnetic Quantum Critical Point
• Quantum phase transitions in heavy fermion metals and Kondo insulators
• Hall effect in heavy-fermion metals
• Kondo Destruction in Heavy Fermion Quantum Criticality and the Photoemission Spectrum of YbRh${}_2$Si${}_2$
• Spin-flip scattering of critical quasiparticles and the phase diagram of YbRh2Si2
• Nature of the quantum critical point as disclosed by extraordinary behavior of magnetotransport and the Lorentz number in the heavy-fermion metal YbRh2Si2