Local Moment and Heavy Fermion Physics

9983156

Coleman

This grant continues the support of the PI's theoretical work on a variety of problems in materials with strongly correlated electrons arising from strong local interelectron interactions. The research program consists of related topics in heavy fermion materials (i.e., compounds based on cerium and uranium with anomalously large specific heats). Part of the work is motivated by a new range of experiments that fine tune heavy fermion materials to a magnetic quantum critical point, with a goal of resolving whether local moments emerge at the quantum critical point or whether the transition is better described as a spin-density wave instability.

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Many of the cerium and uranium based compounds have extraordinarily large specific heats, as if the electrons were a thousand times heavier. Ever since the discovery of these materials in mid-eighties, there has been a continuing interest in the properties of these materials. The PI has been active in theoretical work on these materials and related materials which have strongly correlated electronic effects arising from strong localized interactions between electrons. This work has potential impact on a range of phenomena from superconducting to magnetic properties of these materials.

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