R' G Goodrich, N' Harrison

1
Fermi Surface Studies across a Néel phase
boundary PI Greg Boebinger, National High
Magnetic Field LaboratoryFlorida State
University, University of Florida, Los Alamos
National Laboratory NSF Award Number
DMR-0084173
Neodymium Hexaboride
(NdB6) is an example of an f-electron
antiferromagnet (AFM). Magnetic fields of 30
teslas are required to destroy the AFM phase at
low temperatures. By using pulsed magnetic fields
at the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory,
the Fermi surface of NdB6 was measured throughout
its temperature vs magnetic field phase diagram
from quantum oscillations of the magnetization
so called deHaas-vanAlphen oscillations. This
system is unique due to its simple 0,0,1/2
ordering vector, which provides an opportunity to
verify the changes in electronic structure
introduced by a one-dimensional doubling of the
magnetic unit cell, as originally predicted by
Slater in 1951. The transition at the critical
magnetic field (Hc) is second order and thus is a
direct analog of the spin density wave transition
of the type seen in elemental chromium.
deHaas-vanAlphen measurements of NdB6 made in
pulsed magnetic fields. Changes in the Fermi
surface due to the doubling of the unit cell
below m0H 30T are evidenced by changes in the
oscillation frequencies. Above Hc, the f -
electrons responsible for anti-ferromagnetism
are polarized.
R. G Goodrich, N. Harrison Z. Fisk, Fermi
Surface changes across the Néel phase boundary
of NdB6 Physical Review Letters 97, 146404
(2006)