Anisotropic magnetic-field response of quantum critical fluctuations in Ni-doped CeCoIn5

Abstract

This paper demonstrates the anisotropic response of quantum critical fluctuations with respect to the direction of the magnetic field $B$ in Ni-doped CeCoIn${}_5$ by measuring the magnetization $M$ and specific heat $C$. The results show that $M/B$ at $B=0.1\mathrm{T}$ for both the tetragonal $c$ and $a$ directions exhibits $T^{-\hat{I}\cdot }$ dependencies, and that $C/T$ at $B=0$ follows a $-\ln T$ function, which are the characteristics of non-Fermi-liquid (NFL) behaviors. For $B||c$, both the $M/B\propto T^{-\hat{I}\cdot }$ and $C/T\propto -\ln T$ dependencies change into nearly temperature-constant behaviors by increasing $B$, indicating a crossover from the NFL state to the Fermi-liquid state. For $B||a$, however, the NFL behavior in $C/T$ persists up to $B=7\mathrm{T}$, whereas $M/B$ exhibits temperature-independent behavior for $B\ge 1\mathrm{T}$. These contrasting characteristics in $M/B$ and $C/T$ reflect the anisotropic nature of quantum critical fluctuations; the $c$-axis spin component significantly contributes to the quantum critical fluctuations. We compare this anisotropic behavior of the spin fluctuations to superconducting properties in pure CeCoIn${}_5$, especially to the anisotropy in the upper critical field and the Ising-like characteristics in the spin resonance excitation, and suggest a close relationship between them.

7 pages, 5 figures, to appear in Phys. Rev. B