Angular Dependence of the High-Magnetic-Field Phase Diagram of URu2Si2

We present measurements of the magnetoresistivity RHOxx of URu2Si2 single crystals in high magnetic fields up to 60 T and at temperatures from 1.4 K to 40 K. Different orientations of the magnetic field have been investigated permitting to follow the dependence on Q of all magnetic phase transitions and crossovers, where Q is the angle between the magnetic field and the easy-axis c. We find out that all magnetic transitions and crossovers follow a simple 1/cos(Q) -law, indicating that they are controlled by the projection of the field on the c-axis

Induced-Moment Weak Antiferromagnetism and Orbital Order on the Itinerant-Localized Duality Model with Nested Fermi Surface: A Possible Origin of Exotic Magnetism in URu2{}_{2}Si2_{2}

The weak antiferromagnetism of URu${}_{2}$Si${}_{2}$ is discussed on the basis of a duality model which takes into account salient features of both itinerant fermions and "localized" component of spin degrees of freedom. The problem is analyzed in the framework of induced-moment mechanism by taking a singlet-singlet crystal field scheme together with the nesting property of partial Fermi surface of itinerant fermions . It is shown that the extremely small ordered moment $m$ of ${\cal O}$($10^{-2}$$\times$$\mu_{B}$) can be compatible with the large specific-heat jump at the transition temperature $T_{N}$. Analysis performed in the presence of external magnetic field shows that the field dependence of $m$ in the limit T\to 0 and T_{N}$ do not scale except very near the critical field B which is consistent with a recent observation by Mentink. It is also shown that the antiferromagnetic magnetic order gives rise to a tiny amount of antiferromagnetic orbital order of f-electrons.Comment: 14 pages, 2 figure PS file, accepted J. Phys. Soc. Jp

Field-angle-dependent specific heat measurements and gap determination of a heavy fermion superconductor URu2Si2

To identify the superconducting gap structure in URu2Si2 we perform field-angle-dependent specific heat measurements for the two principal orientations in addition to field rotations, and theoretical analysis based on microscopic calculations. The Sommerfeld coefficient \gamma(H)'s in the mixed state exhibit distinctively different field-dependence. This comes from point nodes and substantial Pauli paramagnetic effect of URu2Si2. These two features combined give rise to a consistent picture of superconducting properties, including a possible first order transition of Hc2 at low temperatures.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figures, to appear in Phys. Rev. Let

Why the hidden order in URu2Si2 is still hidden - one simple answer

For more than two decades, the nonmagnetic anomaly observed around 17.5 K in URu2Si2, has been investigated intensively. However, any kind of fingerprint for the lattice anomaly has not been observed. Therefore, the order has been called "the hidden order". One simple answer to why the hidden order is still hidden is presented from the space group analysis. The second order phase transition from I4/mmm (No. 139) to P4_2/mnm (No. 136) does not need any kind of lattice distortion in this system, and allows the NQR frequency at Ru-site unchanged. It is compatible with O_{xy}-type anti-ferro quadrupole ordering with Q=(0, 0, 1). The characteristics of the hidden order are discussed based on the local 5f^2 electron picture.Comment: Accepted for publication in J. Phys. Soc. Jpn., 4 pages, 2 figure

Neutron Scattering Study on Competition between Hidden Order and Antiferromagnetism in U(Ru_{1-x}Rh_x)_2Si_2 (x <= 0.05)

We have performed elastic and inelastic neutron scattering experiments on the solid solutions U(Ru_{1-x}Rh_x)_2Si_2 for the Ru rich concentrations: x=0, 0.01, 0.02, 0.025, 0.03, 0.04 and 0.05. Hidden order is suppressed with increasing x, and correspondingly the onset temperature T_m (~ 17.5 K at x=0) of weak antiferromagnetic (AF) Bragg reflection decreases. For x=0.04 and 0.05, no magnetic order is detected in the investigated temperature range down to 1.4 K. In the middle range, 0.02 <= x <= 0.03, we found that the AF Bragg reflection is strongly enhanced. At x=0.02, this takes place at ~ 7.7 K (=T_M), which is significantly lower than T_m (~ 13.7 K). T_M increases with increasing x, and seems to merge with T_m at x=0.03. If the AF state is assumed to be homogeneous, the staggered moment \mu_o estimated at 1.4 K increases from 0.02(2) \mu_B/U (x=0) to 0.24(1) \mu_B/U (x=0.02). The behavior is similar to that observed under hydrostatic pressure (\mu_o increases to ~ 0.25 \mu_B/U at 1.0 GPa), suggesting that the AF evolution induced by Rh doping is due to an increase in the AF volume fraction. We also found that the magnetic excitation observed at Q=(1,0,0) below T_m disappears as T is lowered below T_M.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures, submitted to J. Phys. Soc. Jp

Point-contact spectroscopy on URu2_2Si2_2

Tunnel and point contact experiments have been made in a URu$_2$Si$_2$ single crystal along the c-axis. The experiments were performed changing temperature and contact size in a low temperature scanning tunneling microscope. A resonance develops at the Fermi level at $T\sim 60$ K. This resonance splits and becomes asymmetric when the 17.5 K phase transition is crossed. These results are consistent with the existence of Kondo like bound states of the U$^{4+}$ ionic configurations and the conduction electrons. Below the transition, these configurations are split by the development of quadrupolar ordering. The peak separation can be interpreted as a direct measurement of the order parameter. Measurements on a policrystalline UAu_2Si_2$ sample are also reported, with a comparative study of the behavior of both materials.Comment: 4 pages (Latex) + 2 postscript figure

Effects of Uniaxial Stress on Antiferromagnetic Moment in the Heavy Electron Compound URu_2Si_2

We have performed the elastic neutron scattering experiments under uniaxial stress \sigma along the tetragonal [100], [110] and [001] directions for URu2Si2. For \sigma // [100] and [110], the antiferromagnetic moment \mu_o is strongly enhanced from 0.02 \mu_B (\sigma=0) to 0.22 \mu_B (\sigma=2.5 kbar) at 1.5 K. The rate of increase d\mu_o/d\sigma is roughly estimated to be ~ 0.1 \mu_B/kbar, which is much larger than that for the hydrostatic pressure (~ 0.025 \mu_B/kbar). Above 2.5 kbar, \mu_o shows a tendency to saturate similar to the behavior in the hydrostatic pressure. For \sigma // [001], on the other hand, \mu_o shows only a slight increase to 0.028 \mu_B (\sigma = 4.6 kbar) with a rate of ~ 0.002 \mu_B/kbar. The observed anisotropy suggests that the competition between the hidden order and the antiferromagnetic state in URu2Si2 is strongly coupled with the tetragonal four-fold symmetry and the c/a ratio, or both.Comment: 3 pages, 3 eps figures, Proceedings of Int. Conf. on Strongly Correlated Electrons with Orbital Degrees of Freedom (Sendai, Japan, September 11-14, 2001

Evolution of Heterogeneous Antiferromagnetic State in URu2Si2: Study of Hydrostatic-Pressure, Uniaxial-Stress and Rh-Dope Effects

We have investigated the nature of the competition between hidden order and antiferromagnetic (AF) order in URu_2Si_2 by performing the neutron scattering experiments under hydrostatic-pressure P, uniaxial-stress sigma, and Rh-substitution conditions. Hidden order observed at ambient pressure in pure URu_2Si_2 is found to be replaced by the AF order by applying P, sigma along the tetragonal basal plane, and by doping Rh. We discuss these experimental results on the basis of the crystalline strain calculations, and suggest that this phase transition is generated by the 0.1% increase of the tetragonal c/a ratio. We have also found that the magnetic excitation observed in the hidden order phase vanishes in the AF phase. We show that this variation can be qualitatively explained by assuming the hidden order parameter to be quadrupole.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures, proceedings of workshop on Novel Pressure-Induced Phenomena In Condensed Matter Systems, 2006 Fukuok

Thermodynamic evidence for broken fourfold rotational symmetry in the hidden-order phase of URu2Si2

Despite more than a quarter century of research, the nature of the second-order phase transition in the heavy-fermion metal URu$_2$Si$_2$ remains enigmatic. The key question is which symmetry is being broken below this "hidden order" transition. We review the recent progress on this issue, particularly focusing on the thermodynamic evidence from very sensitive micro-cantilever magnetic torque measurements that the fourfold rotational symmetry of the underlying tetragonal crystal is broken. The angle dependence of the torque under in-plane field rotation exhibits the twofold oscillation term, which sets in just below the transition temperature. This observation restricts the symmetry of the hidden order parameter to the $E^{+}$- or $E^{-}$-type, depending on whether the time reversal symmetry is preserved or not.Comment: 7 pages, 5 figures, brief review article for Physica C Special Issue on Stripes and Electronic Liquid Crystals in Strongly Correlated Systems, updated references and added some discussio

Resonant X-Ray Scattering from URu_{2}Si_{2}

Based on a localized crystal electric field model for the U^{4+} in the (5f)^2-configuration, we analyze the resonant x-ray scattering spectra around U M_{IV} and M_{V} edges in URu_{2}Si_{2}, taking full Coulomb and spin-orbit interactions into account. We consider two level schemes, a singlet model of Santini and Amoretti and a doublet model of Ohkawa and Shimizu, and assume the antiferroquadrupolar order and the antiferromagnetic order as candidates for the ambient pressure phase and the high pressure phase. It is found that the spectral shapes as a function of photon energy are independent of the assumed level scheme, but are quite different between the antiferroquadrupole and antiferromagnetic phases, This may be useful to determine the character of the ordered phase.Comment: 8 pages, 5 figures, submitted to JPS