Unusual behaviors in the transport properties of REFe${}_4$P${}_{12}$ (RE: La, Ce, Pr, and Nd)

Abstract

We have investigated the resistivity ($\ddot{I}$), thermoelectric power (TEP) and Hall coefficient ($R_H$) on high quality single crystals of REFe${}_4$P${}_{12}$. TEP in CeFe${}_4$P${}_{12}$ is extremely large ($\sim$ 0.5mV/K at 290K) with a peak of $\sim$ 0.75mV/K at around 65K. The Hall mobility also shows a peak at $\sim$ 65K, suggesting carriers with heavy masses developed at lower temperatures related with the f-hybridized band. Both Pr- and Nd- systems exhibit an apparent increase of $\ddot{I}$ with decreasing temperature far above their magnetic transition temperatures. In the same temperature ranges, TEP exhibits unusually large absolute values of -50$\hat{I}¼$V/K for PrFe${}_4$P${}_{12}$ and -15$\hat{I}¼$V/K for NdFe${}_4$P${}_{12}$, respectively. For PrFe${}_4$P${}_{12}$, such anomalous transport properties suggest an unusual ground state, possibly related with the Quadrupolar Kondo effect.

5 pages, 8 figures