Examination of quantum critical points of itinerant electron systems will aid with understanding of d-electron magnetism that exhibits both local and itinerant characteristics in different families of compounds. Doping-induced quantum phase transition of the itinerant ferromagnet Sc 3.1 In that is composed of non-magnetic elements is the focus of our work. Polycrystalline samples of (Sc 1-x Lu x ) 3.1 In with 0≤ x≤ 0.08 were prepared by arcmelting and then annealing for an extended period of time. Susceptibility measurements were performed in an applied magnetic field H = 0.1 T for temperatures T = 1.85 K to 300 K. Linearity of Arrott plots in low-field region was significantly improved by implementing the non-mean-field Arrott-Noakes technique where plotting M 1/β vs. ( H/M ) 1/γ is used to determine both the Curie temperature and composition. Modified Arrott plot approach was used in order to determine the new critical exponents β, γ and δ that better describe this compound. The Curie temperature of the Sc 3.1 In compound was found to be T C = 4.4 K and the critical composition x c = 0.02. This work was supported by NSF DMR 0847681.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:RICE/oai:scholarship.rice.edu:1911/70464 |
| Date | January 2012 |
| Contributors | Morosan, Emilia |
| Source Sets | Rice University |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis, Text |
| Format | 48 p., application/pdf |
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