Effects of low dimensionality on complex f-electron intermetallic compounds

• Grant number: 22/16823-5
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Post-doctor
• Start date: June 12, 2023
• End date: December 11, 2023
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Physics - Condensed Matter Physics
• Principal Investigator: Pascoal Jose Giglio Pagliuso
• Grantee: Maria Helena Carvalho da Costa
• Supervisor: Priscila Ferrari Silveira Rosa
• Host Institution: Instituto de Física Gleb Wataghin (IFGW). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Los Alamos National Laboratory, United States
• Associated to the scholarship: 20/10580-8 - Synthesis and characterization of superconducting heavy fermion nanowires of the CeMnIn3n+2 (M = Co, Rh, In; n = 0,1) series, BP.PD

Abstract

The reduction of dimensionality in materials containing strongly correlated electrons can lead to an unusual evolution of the emergent ground state properties in these materials, especially at the vicinity of a quantum critical point. In this project we are proposing the synthesis of the CeMnIn3+2n (M = Co, Rh, In; n = 0,1), in the form of nanowires using the Metal Flux Nanonucleation (MFNN) method. The MFNN technique can provide simultaneously the growth of bulk single crystals and nanowires (diameters between 15 and 500 nm and typical length of 1 micrometer) inside the pores of an Al2O3 template, which facilitates the systematic investigation of dimensionality effects on the properties of these materials. In addition to the investigation of the effects of dimensionality in the family mentioned above, which is an ongoing study at GPOMS-IFGW-Unicamp, we will extend the MFNN route to nanowires containing depleted uranium. We will also investigate the possibility to implement a similar nanonucleation technique using the Chemical Vapor Transport (CVT) Method. For this, collaboration with the group of Dr. Priscila Rosa at the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) as well as the use of the facilities available at LANL (including the Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies (CINT)) are essential. The study of the magnetic, electronic, transport, and thermodynamic properties of the synthesized samples will be carried out in detail, using as control parameters the dimensionality (diameters of the nanowires), high pressures (d 30 kbar), and low temperatures (e 50 mK). For this purpose, experiments of macroscopic properties such as magnetization, dc/ac magnetic susceptibility, specific heat, resistivity and Hall effect will be performed as well. (AU)