Universal behavior at discontinuous quantum phase transitions

Discontinuous quantum phase transitions besides their general interest are clearly relevant to the study of heavy fermions and magnetic transition metal compounds. Recent results show that in many systems belonging to these classes of materials, the magnetic transition changes from second order to first order as they approach the quantum critical point (QCP). We investigate here some mechanisms that may be responsible for this change. Specifically the coupling of the order parameter to soft modes and the competition between different types of order near the QCP. For weak first order quantum phase transitions general results are obtained. In particular we describe the thermodynamic behavior at this transition when it is approached from finite temperatures. This is the discontinuous equivalent of the non-Fermi liquid trajectory close to a conventional QCP in a heavy fermion material.Comment: 7 pages, 3 figure

Novel phase diagram for antiferromagnetism and superconductivity in pressure-induced heavy-fermion superconductor Ce2_2RhIn8_8 probed by In-NQR

We present a novel phase diagram for the antiferromagnetism and superconductivity in Ce$_2$RhIn$_8$ probed by In-NQR studies under pressure ($P$). The quasi-2D character of antiferromagnetic spin fluctuations in the paramagnetic state at $P$ = 0 evolves into a 3D character because of the suppression of antiferromagnetic order for $P > P_{\rm QCP}\sim$ 1.36 GPa (QCP: antiferromagnetic quantum critical point). Nuclear-spin-lattice-relaxation rate $1/T_1$ measurements revealed that the superconducting order occurs in the $P$ range 1.36 -- 1.84 GPa, with maximum $T_c\sim$ 0.9 K around $P_{\rm QCP}\sim$ 1.36 GPa.Comment: 5 pages, 5 figures, submitted to PR

Gapless Magnetic and Quasiparticle Excitations due to the Coexistence of Antiferromagnetism and Superconductivity in CeRhIn5_5 : A study of 115^{115}In-NQR under Pressure

We report systematic measurements of ac-susceptibility, nuclear-quadrupole-resonance spectrum, and nuclear-spin-lattice-relaxation time ($T_1$) on the pressure ($P$)- induced heavy-fermion (HF) superconductor CeRhIn$_5$. The temperature ($T$) dependence of $1/T_1$ at $P$ = 1.6 GPa has revealed that antiferromagnetism (AFM) and superconductivity (SC) coexist microscopically, exhibiting the respective transition at $T_N = 2.8$ K and $T^{MF}_c$ = 0.9 K. It is demonstrated that SC does not yield any trace of gap opening in low-lying excitations below $T_c^{onset} = 2$ K, but $T_c^{MF} = 0.9$ K, followed by a $T_1T$ = const law. These results point to the unconventional characteristics of SC coexisting with AFM. We highlight that both of the results deserve theoretical work on the gapless nature in low-lying excitation spectrum due to the coexistence of AFM and SC and the lack of the mean-field regime below $T_c^{onset} = 2$ K.Comment: 4pages,5figures,revised versio

^{115}In-NQR evidence for unconventional superconductivity in CeIn_3 under pressure

We report evidence for unconventional superconductivity in CeIn_3 at a pressure P = 2.65 GPa above critical pressure (P_c ~ 2.5 GPa) revealed by the measurements of nuclear-spin-lattice-relaxation time (T_1) and ac-susceptibility (ac-chi). Both the measurements of T_1 and ac-chi have pointed to a superconducting transition at T_c = 95 mK, which is much lower than an onset temperature T_{onset} = 0.15 K at zero resistance. The temperature dependence of 1/T_1 shows no coherence peak just below T_c, indicative of an unconventional nature for the superconductivity induced in CeIn_3.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures, to be published in Phys.Rev.

Two-Staged Magnetoresistance Driven by Ising-like Spin Sublattice in SrCo6O11

A two-staged, uniaxial magnetoresistive effect has been discovered in SrCo6O11 having a layered hexagonal structure. Conduction electrons and localized Ising spins are in different sublattices but their interpenetration makes the conduction electrons sensitively pick up the stepwise field-dependence of magnetization. The stepwise field-dependence suggests two competitive interlayer interactions between ferromagnetic Ising-spin layers, i.e., a ferromagnetic nearest-layer interaction and an antiferromagnetic next-nearest-layer interaction. This oxide offers a unique opportunity to study nontrivial interplay between conduction electrons and Ising spins, the coupling of which can be finely controlled by a magnetic field of a few Tesla.Comment: 14 pages, 4 figures, accepted for publication in Phys. Rev. Let

Density of States and NMR Relaxation Rate in Anisotropic Superconductivity with Intersecting Line Nodes

We show that the density of states in an anisotropic superconductor with intersecting line nodes in the gap function is proportional to $E log (\alpha \Delta_0 /E)$ for $|E| << \Delta_0$, where $\Delta_0$ is the maximum value of the gap function and $\alpha$ is constant, while it is proportional to $E$ if the line nodes do not intersect. As a result, a logarithmic correction appears in the temperature dependence of the NMR relaxation rate and the specific heat, which can be observed experimentally. By comparing with those for the heavy fermion superconductors, we can obtain information about the symmetry of the gap function.Comment: 7 pages, 4 PostScript Figures, LaTeX, to appear in J. Phys. Soc. Jp

Exotic superconductivity in the coexistent phase of antiferromagnetism and superconductivity in CeCu2(Si0.98Ge0.02)2: A Cu-NQR study under hydrostatic pressure

We report a pressure ($P$) effect on CeCu$_2$(Si$_{0.98}$Ge$_{0.02}$)$_2$ where an antiferromagnetic (AFM) order at $T_N \sim$ 0.75 K coexists with superconductivity below $T_c \sim$ 0.4 K\@. At pressures exceeding $P = 0.19$ GPa, the AFM order is suppressed, which demonstrates that the sudden emergence of AFM order due to the Ge doping is ascribed to the intrinsic lattice expansion. The exotic superconductivity at $P = 0$ GPa is found to evolve into a typical heavy-fermion one with a line-node gap above $P = 0.91$ GPa\@. We highlight that the anomalous enhancement in nuclear spin-lattice relaxation rate $1/T_1$ that follows a $T_1T$ = const. behavior well below $T_c$ at $P$ = 0 GPa is characterized by the persistence of low-lying magnetic excitations, which may be inherent to the coexistent state of antiferromagnetism and superconductivity.Comment: 5 pages with 4 figures embedded in the text. To be published in J. Phys. Soc. Jp