Low-dimensional antiferromagnetic fluctuations in the heavy-fermion paramagnetic ladder UTe${}_2$

Abstract

Inelastic-neutron-scattering measurements were performed on a single crystal of the heavy-fermion paramagnet UTe${}_2$ above its superconducting temperature. We confirm the presence of antiferromagnetic fluctuations with the incommensurate wavevector ${\mathbf{k}}_1=(0,0.57,0)$. A quasielastic signal is found, whose momentum-transfer dependence is compatible with fluctuations of magnetic moments $\hat{I}¼\parallel \mathbf{a}$, with a sine-wave modulation of wavevector ${\mathbf{k}}_1$ and in-phase moments on the nearest U atoms. Low dimensionality of the magnetic fluctuations, consequence of the ladder structure, is indicated by weak correlations along the direction $\mathbf{c}$. These fluctuations saturate below the temperature $T_1^{\ast }\simeq 15$~K, in possible relation with anomalies observed in thermodynamic, electrical-transport and nuclear-magnetic-resonance measurements. The absence or weakness of ferromagnetic fluctuations, in our data collected at temperatures down to 2.1 K and energy transfers from 0.6 to 7.5 meV, is emphasized. These results constitute constraints for models of magnetically-mediated superconductivity in UTe${}_2$.

6 pages, 4 figures, + Supplementary Materials (6 pages, 6 figures)