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Fermi-liquid breakdown in the paramagnetic phase of a pure metal.

Author(s) : DOIRON-LEYRAUD N., WALKER I. R., TAILLEFER F., et al.

Type of article: Article

Summary

Fermi-liquid theory (the standard model of metals) has been challenged by the discovery of anomalous properties in an increasingly large number of metals. The anomalies often occur near a quantum critical point - a continuous phase transition in the limit of absolute zero, typically between magnetically ordered and paramagnetic phases. Although not understood in detail, unusual behaviour in the vicinity of such quantum critical points was anticipated nearly three decades ago by theories going beyond the standard model. The authors report electrical resistivity measurements of the 3d metal MnSi, indicating an unexpected breakdown of the Fermi-liquid model. In this regime, corrections to the Fermi-liquid model are expected to be small. The range in pressure, temperature and applied magnetic field over which the authors observe an anomalous temperature dependence of the electrical resistivity in MnSi is not consistent with the crossover behaviour widely seen quantum critical systems. This may suggest the emergence of a well defined but enigmatic quantum phase of matter.

Details

  • Original title: Fermi-liquid breakdown in the paramagnetic phase of a pure metal.
  • Record ID : 2004-1958
  • Languages: English
  • Source: Nature - vol. 425 - n. 6958
  • Publication date: 2003/10/09
  • Document available for consultation in the library of the IIR headquarters only.

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