Field-Induced Magnetic States in the Metallic Rare-Earth Layered Triangular Antiferromagnet TbAuAl${}_4$Ge${}_2$

Abstract

Magnetic frustration in metallic rare earth lanthanides ($Ln$) with $4f$-electrons is crucial for producing interesting magnetic phases with high magnetic anisotropy where intertwined charge and spin degrees of freedom lead to novel phenomena. Here we report on the magnetic, thermodynamic, and electrical transport properties of TbAuAl${}_4$Ge${}_2$. Tb ions form 2-dimensional triangular lattice layers which stack along the crystalline $c$-axis. The magnetic phase diagram reveals multiple nearly degenerate ordered states upon applying field along the magnetically easy $ab$-plane before saturation. The magnetoresistance in this configuration exhibits intricate field dependence that closely follows that of the magnetization while the specific heat reveals a region of highly enhanced entropy, suggesting the possibility of a non-trivial spin textured phase. For fields applied along the $c$-axis (hard axis), we find linear magnetoresistance over a wide range of fields. We compare the magnetic properties and magnetoresistance with an isostructral GdAuAl${}_4$Ge${}_2$ single crystals. These results identify TbAuAl${}_4$Ge${}_2$ as an environment for complex quantum spin states and pave the way for further investigations of the broader $Ln$AuAl${}_4$Ge${}_2$ family of materials.

8 pages, 5 figures

References in corpus (7)

• Fermi-liquid instabilities at magnetic quantum phase transitions
• High temperature fractional quantum Hall states
• Heavy Fermions and Quantum Phase Transitions
• Entropy evolution in the magnetic phases of partially frustrated CePdAl
• Possible Existence of Partially Disordered Sm Ions in Magnetically Ordered State of Ising Magnet SmPt2Si2: a Single Crystal Study
• Electronic Structure and Magnetism in the Layered Triangular Lattice Compound CeAuAl${}_4$Ge${}_2$
• Doped Valence Bond Solid and Superconductivity on the Shastry-Sutherland Lattice